The Digital Technologies Forum brought together young researchers, renowned professors, industry representatives and partners to discuss the pressing issues of AI, develop new ideas and shape the future together.
Sharing knowledge with the community, broadening perspectives
The event was opened by Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster, Executive Board member of the AI Grid, and Dr. Tina Klüwer, Head of the Department for Technological Sovereignty and Innovation at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), who set the tone: AI needs bold talent, interdisciplinary approaches, and a clear vision to ensure technological sovereignty.
The panels, keynotes and discussions at the summit were very in-depth and covered the topics that are currently on everyone's minds: It was about questions that go deep into the substance of AI research. How do we make AI sustainable? What does fairness mean in technology? And where is the boundary between benefit and risk? Exciting input came from Prof. Elisabeth André (University of Augsburg) on human-centred AI and from Dr. Theresa Züger (Alexander von Humboldt Institute) on AI and the common good.
Where research and practice meet
One of the highlights was the discussion on collaboration between academia and industry, moderated by Dr. Johannes Winter (L3S Research Centre). The discussion centred not only on models that are already working, but also on hurdles that we need to overcome - from the time gap between research cycles and industrial requirements to the need to promote trust and openness in data partnerships. A particular focus was on the opportunities for young researchers to translate their theoretical approaches into practical applications - be it through collaborations or the leap into entrepreneurship.
Courage and inspiration: The workshop for women in science
An intense and moving moment of the summit was the workshop "Defying Norms. Thriving as a Woman in Academia", led by Delphine Mousseau. She did not mince her words: Topics such as implicit prejudices, unequal opportunities and the burden of invisible work were discussed openly. The aim: to develop concrete strategies to overcome stereotypical barriers and confidently shape their own career paths. It was a space that encouraged and strengthened solidarity.
Together into the future
The summit was not only a review of two successful years of the AI Grid, but also the starting signal for something new: the announced partnership with the Artificial Intelligence Centre Hamburg (ARIC) creates a bridge between northern Germany and our international AI community - a step towards an even closer exchange between science and business.
We have also paused to celebrate successes: with almost 200 members, dedicated mentors and countless projects, AI Grid has created a platform that drives innovation and enables collaboration in a very short space of time. A special thank you went to Prof. Peer Stelldinger and Prof. Dr Elif Bilge Kavun, whose support is invaluable to the next generation of researchers.
