Members, alumni, mentors, speakers, board members, and the AI Grid team came together to celebrate the network’s annual highlight: the AI Grid Summit 2025. Two days filled with exciting talks, lively discussions, hands-on workshops, and inspiring encounters provided the perfect opportunity to share knowledge, gain new perspectives, and build valuable connections.
The focus was on AI trends such as Agentic AI and career development – featuring fascinating insights into future technologies, practical career tips, and soft skills essential for success in the AI industry.
Day 1: Be a trendsetter and trigger the first wave
The summit began with a warm opening speech by Laure Poirson, AI Grid Team Lead, who reflected on three eventful years of the AI Grid community.
This was followed by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster, CEO of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and Chair of the AI Grid Board, taking the stage. In his address, he highlighted the potential of combining generative and analytical AI and urged participants to shape trends rather than merely follow them. He also shared his perspectives on current AI trends, the importance of solid knowledge, and the visionary role of innovators in AI development.
After a presentation by our event partner, the Einstein Center Digital Future, delivered by Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Baccelli, a high-profile panel discussion took place with Prof. Dr. Joanna Bryson (Professor of Ethics and Technology, Hertie School Centre for Digital Governance), Irina Weiß-Avetisyan (Cloud and AI Strategy & Innovation Specialist, Technologique), and Dr. Katharina Weitz (Project Manager, Fraunhofer HHI), moderated by Dr. Aljoscha Burchardt (Principal Researcher, DFKI).
In the format of a fishbowl discussion, the panel debated AI agents—their opportunities, risks, and societal impacts—and invited engaged members of the AI Grid community to participate spontaneously in the conversation.
After a lively coffee break with animated discussions about the sessions, participants dispersed into four hands-on workshops:
- From Problem to Prototype: Developing Python AI Agents for Mental Health
Finn Borchers (CEO, Alera GmbH) - RL Applications in Industrial Optimization
Dr. Nima H. Siboni (Leitender RL-Ingenieur, juna.ai GmbH) - From Pilot Project to Production: Scaling AI for Quality Assurance
Marco Fischer (Product Engineer, Volkswagen Group) - AI in Learning: From Research to Practical Application
Roman Muth (CTO, IMC AG) and Nicolas Schuck (Innovation Manager AI, IMC AG)
The day concluded with a dinner and a poster session, where members presented their research projects and received valuable feedback. A particular highlight of the evening was PowerPoint Karaoke, in which five brave members spontaneously gave a presentation they had never seen before—without any preparation. This entertaining session showcased how flexible, creative, and quick-witted the AI Grid community is.
Day 2: What Comes After Graduation – Research, Industry, or Starting Your Own Venture?
On the morning of the second day, the AI Grid community started full of energy and ready to take new ideas for their careers. Under the guiding theme, “How do I decide what to do after graduation?”, participants sought orientation and inspiration for their next steps.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elif Bilge Kavun (Professor / Group Leader “Secure Digital Systems,” Barkhausen Institut / TU Dresden) shared her personal journey between academia and industry, and the decisions that shaped her career path. Together with Dr. Katja Filippova (Research Scientist, Google DeepMind) and Rockman Law (Investor, Merantix Capital), she provided diverse perspectives on career decisions. Despite their different experiences, all agreed on one point: stay open to opportunities, pursue goals consistently, avoid limiting yourself to a single path, and make bold, quick decisions when necessary.
This was followed by an interactive World Café with three thematic focuses:
- Research – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elif Bilge Kavun (Professor / Group Leader “Secure Digital Systems,” Barkhausen Institut / TU Dresden), Dr. Iyiola Emmanuel Olatunji (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Luxemburg), Dr. Susan Stead (Assistenzprofessorin, RWTH Aachen), Dr. Carsten-Michael Walbiner (Leiter der Abteilung „Forschungsprogramme“, DAAD)
- Industry – Dr. Katja Filippova (Research Scientist, Google DeepMind), Dr.-Ing. Johannes Westermann (Senior AI Expert, Daimler Truck AG)
- Start-up – Rockman Law (Investor, Merantix Capital), Samim Multaheb (Gründer, machinemade)
In open discussion rounds, participants exchanged strategies for career development and gained practical, first-hand insights.
A highlight of this session was the presentation of the project "KI Macht Schule“ by Auguste Schulz, which emphasized the importance of AI skills among students and demonstrated how the AI Grid community can actively contribute.
In the afternoon, hands-on coaching workshops focused on current career topics. Beyond technical and research-related content, these sessions also addressed very human aspects, with a special focus on soft skills that often make the difference in both academia and industry:
- Applying for Jobs in the Business Sector
Dr. Maria Börner (Women in AI Germany Ambassador / Head of AI Competence Center, Women in AI / Westernacher Solutions) & Jenny Gyurakovics (Team Lead, Data Annotation, Women in AI) - How to Network / How to Pitch
Dr. Jonas Traub (Chairman, Software Campus Alumni e.V. ) - Time, Stress, and Mental Health Management in Your PhD
Elena Mahinova (Coach, nova HR Consulting)
These sessions gave participants the opportunity to deepen practical skills, recognize personal strengths, and confidently shape their own career paths. The summit concluded with everyone coming together one last time to share impressions, connections, and emotions—a warm and inspiring finale to two enriching days.
AI Grid Summit in the Media Spotlight: rbb Visit
The summit also attracted media attention: Efthymis Angeloudis from rbb explored the world of AI with us, conducting interviews with Prof. Dr. Wahlster and members of the community to gather compelling material for his coverage.
The feature appeared on rbb24 as well as Tagesschau.de , highlighting, among other things, that Germany still has a gap between research and practical application—and how the AI Grid community is actively advancing knowledge transfer into industry.
The Power of the Community: Exchange, Inspiration, and New Perspectives
The AI Grid Summit once again showcased what makes the AI Grid community special: people learning together, sharing knowledge, and actively shaping the future of AI. Two days full of new perspectives, engaging conversations, and inspiring encounters offered participants exciting opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The direct exchange and warm atmosphere of the event in particular fostered new collaborations and the development of individual potential—demonstrating just how valuable a true community is for the AI industry.
