Événement à la une
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Le 10.09.2024
Webinaire EIC Accélérateur sur l'étape 2 "Full Proposal" - 10 septembre 2024
L'équipe du PCN EIC Accélérateur organise un webinaire le mardi 10 septembre de 11h à 12h.
ExpectedOutcome:
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
Scope:
The history of “artificial intelligence” technologies (AI) is marked by great optimism and expectation, sometimes followed by disappointment. However, we have recently seen a sustained upsurge in interest and the successful uptake and application of AI in a variety of significant areas such as drug discovery, autonomous vehicles, social media, industrial robotics, and logistics, to name a few. We have witnessed significant successes in the development and deployment of machine learning, particularly for tasks normally associated with human perception[1]. We have also seen significant successes in symbolic and logic-driven AI for problems that require reasoning about constraints, automated reasoning, planning, etc.[2] AI has had significant impact in the arts and humanities, and AI-based methods and tools are becoming more widely used in the cultural arena.[3]
Nevertheless, today the collection of computer technologies commonly labelled artificial intelligence, along with related technologies for instance in the fields of data science, neuroscience and biotechnology, already show the potential to disrupt and impact the rights of individuals and the wellbeing of societal structures. For example, there have been many documented case studies where AI-based applications have exhibited undesired gender and racial bias[4]. AI systems have been (mis-)used to micro-target and influence voters in elections as well as in the creation and dissemination of disinformation[5], and otherwise impact on human agency and autonomy. Many ethical issues arise in the development of AI systems, such as their use in medical devices, brain-computer interfaces, reasoning about human mental and emotion state, etc.[6]
Concerns are often raised that AI technologies may imply major societal disruptions such as massive job displacements due to the increasing use of AI-drive automation and robotics, while research show that AI can also help filling gaps in workforce[7][8].
In 2018, the European Commission established the High Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (HLEG-AI), which was tasked with developing a set of ethics guidelines for Europe that would help ensure that AI systems be human-centric and trustworthy. The importance of a human-centric approach to AI has been a cornerstone of EU policymaking in the field for several years and is the clearly articulated position of the EU. The European Commission published a pioneering draft AI Act in April 2021, the first legal framework on AI in Europe, which addresses the potential risks of using AI[9]. The Horizon Europe work programme under Cluster 4 is funding related research and innovation actions under the header ‘Leadership in AI based on trust’.
The common principle across all of these EU initiatives are seven key requirements for trustworthy AI[10], as proposed by the HLEG-AI and adopted by the European Commission, as well as the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of individuals[11].
Against this backdrop, before being faced with a ‘fait-accompli’ in terms of potentially undesirable influence of AI on the European society and economy and to make sure that all the beneficial potential of AI deployment is fully realised, we should anticipate and prepare for possible and high impact scenarios.
The proposal should cover all the following aspects:
Proposals should build on existing knowledge, activities and networks, such as the HLEG-AI and other initiatives funded by the European Union. Funded proposals should also take into account existing EU policy in the area, such as the development of the AI Act and the Excellence and trust in artificial intelligence under A Europe fit for the digital age[14]. Furthermore, the proposals should seek synergies with closely related actions, such as relevant R&I actions funded by Horizon Europe or Horizon 2020[15].
[1]https://www.mygreatlearning.com/blog/deep-learning-applications/
[2]https://venturebeat.com/2022/02/11/symbolic-ai-the-key-to-the-thinking-machine/
[3]https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04448-z
[4]https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Missions/14458/Gender-and-AI-Addressing-bias-in-artificial-intelligence
[5]https://il.boell.org/en/2022/01/27/ai-and-elections-observations-analyses-and-prospects
[6]See for example https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/04/30/143155/with-brain-scanning-hats-china-signals-it-has-no-interest-in-workers-privacy/
[7]https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-in-europe
[8]The Global Health Care Worker Shortage: 10 Numbers to Note | Project HOPE
[9]https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/proposal-regulation-laying-down-harmonised-rules-artificial-intelligence
[10]https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/ai-alliance-consultation/guidelines/1.html
[11]https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/european-approach-artificial-intelligence
[12]Home - Ai Data Robotics Partnership (ai-data-robotics-partnership.eu)
[13]of different age groups incl. children and young people as well as elderly people
[14]See further
[15]Such as the Networks of AI excellence centres funded under H2020 and Horizon Europe, the AI on Demand Platform as well as projects funded under Destination 6 (Leadership in AI based on trust) of Cluster 4 of the HE Work Programme.