Call for Contributions – 1st INFRASTRUCTURE Workshop

Final deadline extension: submit your proposals before 26 October AoE (27 October 12:00 UTC)

Over the past two decades, the cloud computing paradigm and its evolutions have become dominant—sometimes even treated as a utility service. This success stems from the ability of cloud systems to abstract complex computing infrastructures into manageable, higher-level “resources.”

However, this abstraction renders the physical and human infrastructure behind the cloud invisible. All cloud computing systems ultimately rely on servers, network equipment, cables, datacenters, distributed infrastructure software, and the skilled workers who design and maintain them. While abstraction simplifies usage, it introduces several fundamental challenges:

Environmental Impacts
The infrastructure supporting cloud services has rapidly grown in environmental footprint, especially with the rise of AI. Massive datacenters are being constructed, consuming power at the gigawatt scale, alongside a sharp increase in demand for GPU-class hardware.
The Illusion of Unlimited Resources
The elastic model of the cloud promotes the idea of infinite computing capacity. This disconnect between usage and physical infrastructure encourages overconsumption and obscures its material costs. As noted in the 2011 NIST definition of cloud computing:
“The capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time.”
Governance and Power Asymmetries
Centralized infrastructure controlled by a few providers leads to uneven power dynamics—illustrated by cases like the VMware/Broadcom fallout. When infrastructure is fully outsourced for simplicity, clients lose autonomy and critical skills become concentrated. Governance structures deeply shape users’ rights and influence the control they have over infrastructure, including sensitive matters such as access by intelligence agencies.

Topics of Interest

This workshop invites reflection on the technical, environmental, and sociological aspects of cloud and AI infrastructures—ranging from the materiality of datacenters to the socio-technical dependencies between providers and users.

We welcome short position papers that can be scientific contributions or reflections, particularly on:

Environmental and societal impacts of AI and datacenter infrastructure
Reduction of infrastructure size and footprint (e.g., digital sufficiency, technological judgment)
Alternative models for computing with limited resources
Fully decentralized or federated edge systems
Mapping socio-technical dependencies in cloud infrastructure
Systemic reliance on cloud services and associated risks
Long-term consequences of outsourcing infrastructure management
New governance models (e.g., digital commons, shared decision-making)
Critiques of utility-style framing of cloud infrastructure
Socio-technical dynamics behind the expansion of large-scale AI deployments

Interdisciplinary Contributions

Submissions are encouraged from Computer Science, STS (Science and Technology Studies), and other humanities and social sciences. The objective is to foster a genuinely interdisciplinary dialogue on the hidden material, technical, and political aspects of today’s computing infrastructures.

Submission format

Submissions should be short position papers of up to two pages (excluding references).
Submissions must be in PDF format with all fonts embedded.
Use the following template: A4 page, 11pt, one-column, 2 cm margins on all sides.
Submissions are not anonymised.
Text inside figures must be readable when printed.
Figures should use colorblind-friendly palettes and remain interpretable when printed in black and white.
By default, accepted contributions will be published on the open archive HAL, unless authors explicitly opt out.
Generative AI policy: authors must clearly document any use of generative AI tools (text, figures, data). Responsibility for the content rests fully with the authors.

Presentation

Accepted contributions will lead to a 15–20 minute presentation by their authors, followed by discussion.
Presentations must be accessible to both STS and ICT audiences.
Talks should conclude with open questions to spark discussion.

All accepted contributions will be presented in a 15–20 minute talk followed by discussion.

Even if a contribution is not accepted, authors are still welcome to attend and participate in the workshop discussions.

Expected Audience and Publicity

This workshop aims to bridge research from at least three communities:

Sustainable ICT (e.g., energy use, life cycle analysis)
Science and Technology Studies (e.g., infrastructure governance, digital commons)
Technical infrastructure specialists (e.g., system architecture, cloud operations)

Important Dates

Short Position Paper Submission Deadline: 26 October 2025, 23:59 AoE (Anywhere on Earth) - final deadline extension - Submission platform
Notification of Acceptance: 7 November 2025
Mandatory Registration Deadline: 19 November 2025 - Registration form
Pre-workshop Dinner: 4 December 2025
Workshop: 5 December 2025

Participation and Registration Notes

Attendance of the workshop is free of charge, but registration is mandatory (deadline: 19 November 2025).
Physical participation is encouraged to foster informal discussions. A remote participation option is also offered (registration is still mandatory).
We encourage environmental-friendly modes of travel (e.g. travelling by train if practical, combining the workshop with other events).
At least one author of each accepted submission must register and present their work.
For accepted submissions, physical presentation is highly recommended (travel grants are available). If travelling is impractical, we can organize a remote live presentation using Webex. Make sure to have a good Internet connection, a good microphone, and a quiet environment.
The pre-workshop dinner (4 December) is not included in the registration.
Limited travel grants will be available to support participants without institutional funding. This is open for all participants but we may prioritize authors of accepted submissions. Applications must be submitted by 31 October 2025 via the registration form.