“What does AI mean for research, for society and for citizens”

Experts from the EU and the UK will be discussing how Artificial Intelligence has the potential to transform the world we live in during the 2nd CONNECTS-UK Open Forum at Cardiff University (also available online) on 20th November 2024.

Summary:

● The Open Forum on AI is organised by the EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK with support from Academia Europaea Cardiff and will take place at Cardiff University on the 20th November from 12:00 pm local time (on-line from 13:15).

● CONNECTS-UK is the new pan-European project aimed at fostering scientific collaborations between the EU and the UK, led by the community of EU researchers working in the UK.

Cardiff, 18 November 2024 – Leading experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will gather at Cardiff University on 20 November to explore how AI could transform society—and the potential risks of its misuse. The Open Forum on AI, organized by the EU-funded CONNECTS-UK project, will examine the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, including its ethical implications, legal frameworks, and impact on global scientific innovation.

The Open Forum, which will be held at 12:00 pm local time at Cardiff University, and streamed online at 13:15, is the second event in a series of Open Fora hosted by CONNECTS-UK, a pan- European initiative aimed at fostering scientific collaboration between the EU and the UK. The Open Forum is supported by Academia Europaea Cardiff.

AI's groundbreaking contributions to science were recognised this year through the award of the Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry to researchers whose work is strongly linked to advancing AI-driven technologies. Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their contributions to machine learning, while Demis Hassabis, David Baker, and John M. Jumper were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work in computational protein design. These accolades mark a major milestone in AI's acceptance as a transformative force for humanity and make the Open Forum exceptionally timely.

Further details on the CONNECTS-UK website.

For media inquiries, please contact: project.manager@connects-uk.org

The Pivotal Role of EU Research Diasporas in EU-UK Scientific and Diplomatic Relations

By

Virginia Alejandra Amigo Dotras, Afonso Bento, Jean-Christophe Mauduit, Nathalie van Meurs, Carla Molteni, Magdalena Mroczek, Arttu Rajantie, Ana Valadas, Jure Vrhunc, Javier Pardo-Diaz

https://www.sciencediplomacy.org/perspective/2024/pivotal-role-eu-research-diasporas-in-eu-uk-scientific-and-diplomatic-relations

“THE DECREASE OF TRUST IN DEMOCRACY AND SCIENCE: WHAT IS NEXT?”

Renowned experts from Europe and the UK will be discussing how misinformation is threatening democratic processes and weakening the trust in science at the University of Edinburgh.

Summary:

● The 1st Open Forum on Democratic Backsliding organised by the EU-funded project CONNECTS-UK will take place at the University of Edinburgh on the 18th October at 13:00 pm local time and on-line

● CONNECTS-UK is the new pan-European project aimed at fostering scientific collaborations between the EU and the UK, led by the community of European researchers working in the UK.

The topic is highly relevant in a year that has been defined as “the electoral year”, where almost half of the world’s population are voting in national elections that could reshape global politics.

In this 1st Open Forum Zsolt Boda, Research Professor of the HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences, will give his vision to the question “Is Democracy at stake?”. The current context is worrying not only pro-democracy watchdogs who estimate that nearly three-quarters of the world's population live in autocracies, but also many people across the globe. However, controversially, many citizens are voting for polarising politicians.

Joerg Friedrichs, Associated Professor at the University of Oxford, will focus his intervention on the political use of emotions, specially fear and anger used by some populist governments. We will hear also from Mette Wiggen, lecturer at the University of Leeds about the challenges to democracies and from Mathew Williams, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Scottish Government.

In opaque contexts of misinformation and manipulation, science and the public's perception of it may also be affected. In this panel Justin Sulik, a cognitive scientist and senior researcher at the Munich Interactive Intelligence Initiative (MI3), Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, will delve into the diverse perspectives on distrust in science. Sicco de Knecht Director of the National Centre of Expertise on Science and Society in the Netherlands (NEWS) will give his perspective on how good science communication can act as a catalyst and stimulate the trust in science. We will also hear from Susanne Caarls, from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands about the values ofscience in a democratic society and the importance of maintaining an international perspective.

This 1st Open Forum will be opened by Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Scientific Advisor for the Government of Scotland from where she champions the use of science to inform policy development.

Nathalie Van Meurs, CONNECTS-UK and Co-founder and Co-director DNA UK (Dutch Network of Academics in the UK) will contribute from a cross cultural management perspective and why cultural values drive people’s interpretation of trust and sense of justice.

CONNECTS-UK is excited to partner with the University of Edinburgh represented by the co-chairs Carlos Soler Montes, (Vice-President of the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK) and Jenny Watson, Department of European languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh.

This event is very much aligned with the work carried out by the European Union with the flagship programme EUvsDesinfo aimed at identifying, analysing and raising awareness about disinformation in its multiple shapes and forms.

The 2nd Open Forum “AI: what does it mean for research, for society and for you?” will take place on 20th November in the University of Cardiff with renowned speakers from the United Kingdom and other European countries.

The Open Fora are co-sponsored by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and the Embassy of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom.

Further details on the CONNECTS-UK website and its social media Twitter page, Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Anna Fumarola, Project Manager CONNECTS-UK

project.manager@connects-uk.org

London, 10th April 2024

AISUK has joined forces with other European Associations to create CONNECTS–UK, the first pan-European platform in the UK aimed at fostering scientific collaborations between the EU and the UK, led by the community of EU researchers working in the UK.

During the launch event, sponsored by Fundación Banco Santander, CONNECTS-UK has unveiled its objectives and future activities, aiming to strategically bring together the EU research community in the UK, advocate for the interests of such a community and for EU-UK research collaborations, and bring scientific knowledge closer to society.

The Deputy EU Ambassador Nicole Mannion, among other speakers, has emphasised the crucial role played by scientific diaspora networks. The Ambassador highlighted the tangible benefits that EU and UK researchers experience through such collaborative endeavours. This collaboration comes at a crucial moment as the UK officially joins the Horizon Europe programme, further strengthening the strategic alliance between EU and UK researchers. 

AISUK aims to actively contribute to CONNECTS-UK fostering research collaborations and innovation, while ensuring continued growth and success for researchers across borders.

For more information on CONNECTS-UK visit: https://connects-uk.org