Artificial intelligence: Advice and action for an intelligent Bavaria

Institute Director Prof. Alexander Martin represents the field of non-university research, which addresses efficient AI infrastructure as well as data and application issues. “Artificial intelligence will be one of the technologies driving the future, and it will have an enormous impact on our society, economy and industry. In terms of content, I see particular challenges and opportunities in the sovereignty and sustainability of data and AI algorithms – and this is an area in which the Council on AI can provide impetus,” Martin says of his new task. He leads the ADA Lovelace Center for Analytics, Data and Applications, which provides unique infrastructure for connecting AI research and AI applications with industry. Martin is also a Professor of Economics, Discrete Optimization and Mathematics at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Prof. Ute Schmid, Head of the Project Group for Comprehensible AI at Fraunhofer IIS and Head of the Cognitive Systems Group at the University of Bamberg, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Seidl, Head of Group for Database Systems and Data Mining at LMU Munich and Co-Director of the ADA Lovelace Center at Fraunhofer IIS, have both been appointed as Council members representing universities. Their central areas of responsibility are to connect the new AI professorships, establish a research network and train young AI researchers. “I feel it’s important for AI research in Bavaria to be of the highest quality and for the work of Bavarian scientists to be internationally visible and recognized. In addition, I’d like to help embed AI methods in socio-technical contexts in a way that means AI systems enhance and promote human expertise, rather than humans relinquishing control to AI systems,” Schmid says.

Seidl adds: “As a representative of universities, I want to play a part in increasing the depth of networking among universities, research institutions and companies, which will strengthen their power of initiative. What’s more, education in AI core subjects and AI application areas will provide the Bavarian economy with new generations of experts and lead to further significant scientific and social successes in international competition.”

All three institute representatives are pleased to have been appointed and see it as an appreciation of their scientific merits in AI research. Their involvement in the Council on AI is centered on supporting technological progress in Bavaria with their research at Fraunhofer IIS and at their respective universities, contributing to the common good and assuming social responsibility.