An insightful event on Artificial Intelligence brings together researchers and policy-makers

The event was co-organised by the Research Executive Agency (REA) and the Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). The two-day event featured presentations by researchers on a wide range of AI-related topics - from robotics applications in learning and education to solutions for child cyber protection, as well as health and environmental applications.

Speakers from the European Commission provided in-depth perspectives on ethics, education and security. They discussed how the EU could position itself at the forefront of establishing trustworthy and ethical by-design AI. The resulting dialogue enabled the participants to address key issues such as data privacy, security and ethics. This information will hopefully generate new questions and ideas for future policy-making in the education, security, trade, public health, environment and single (digital) market sectors.

Projects featured at the meeting covered several AI-related issues, for example:

From the Individual Fellowship (IF) action, participants learnt about the DoRoThy project, which promotes the science and technology needed to perform meta-cognitive functions in social robotics.

From the Research and Staff Exchange (RISE)action , the project OPEN demonstrated its collaboration between intersectoral and interdisciplinary teams to establish an empirical evidence base to support the growing movement of ‘patient innovators’, thus leading the development of self-built or ‘do-it-yourself’ artificial pancreas systems (DIYAPS). This technology helps to automate day-to-day decision-making needed for successful self-management.

Finally, in the area of water distribution systems, the Innovative Training Networks action (ITN) Project IoT4Win is preparing the next generation of innovators in academia and industry to enable smarter water networks via their developments of advanced sensors and monitoring technology.

This successful event illustrates the importance of continuing the dialogue on the results and issues of AI research to ensure that the European Union makes the best possible use of AI technology for the benefit and well-being of its citizens.