FARI - AI for the Common Good Institute

⌛ Time is ticking - apply for our AI for the Common Good postgraduate program! Led by expert professors from Université libre de Bruxelles and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, this hands-on training will give you tools for ethical AI innovation and empower you to lead responsible digital transformation with AI. Grounded in a holistic approach, it explores the interplay between technology, people, and processes across the entire AI project lifecycle. 🚨 Deadlines for registration August 31: Students applying with a foreign diploma September 23: Students applying with a Belgian diploma 🎓 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/d34yCY-Q Karen Boers, Emilie Maccarini, Lore Stanson, Laetitia d'Ornano, Johan Loeckx, An Jacobs, Gloria González Fuster, Nicolas van Zeebroeck, Geoffrey Aerts, Nassima Noufail

📢 Calling all social enterprises, impact-driven SMEs, and changemakers across Europe! The COSME - DIGISET Project is offering exclusive training programs to help your organization harness the power of #AI, #data, and #digital tools and some of you may qualify for financial support. Why Join? - Free expert-led trainings on AI strategy, funding, compliance & more - 1:1 mentorship to tailor solutions to your needs - Potential financial support for eligible organizations - Network with like-minded social SMEs How It Works: - Complete our quick form : https://lnkd.in/dvz3a2ks - Select your preferred trainings we’ll match you based on demand - Get confirmed if eligible, you may receive funding to participate! Spaces are limited! Priority given to early registrants. Nassima Noufail - Social Good Accelerator (SOGA) - Impact Hub Network - Centre Tecnològic de la Química a Catalunya - CLUJ IT Cluster - Amsterdam Impact - CollectiveUP

Is AI reshaping the world, or just showing us a mirror? 🪞 At the Digitize Me! festival in Antwerp, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and Vrije Universiteit Brussel alumna Pattie Maes joined author and VUB researcher Paola Verhaert for a timely conversation on artificial intelligence and democracy. Together, they raised urgent questions about how AI is transforming our societies. 🔍 Their central warning: today's AI tools, especially chatbots and recommendation systems, often confirm what we already believe, locking us into echo chambers and amplifying polarization. Maes emphasizes the difference between traditional and new media in their abilities to manipulate the public. "You read the newspaper – but it doesn’t read you. Social media and AI do. And then they feed you more of the same, but slightly more extreme each time. Because that’s what keeps you scrolling." 🗳️ Algorithmic reinforcement may be good for profits, but is very risky for democracy. When companies build AI for maximum engagement rather than public good, the result is often biased, opaque, and difficult to challenge. As Verhaert adds, “The infrastructure they’ve built has become essential to our daily lives. So of course citizens should have a say – along with government – in how that infrastructure is run.” 💡 Yet both speakers remain hopeful. With the right regulation and public investment, AI can be used for good. They mention a use case of AI in Taiwan that supports democracy and thrives on critical thinking and respectful disagreement. Maes says: “We grow by facing disagreement and conflict. You only learn something new when you see how someone else experiences the world. What we actually need are AI systems that challenge our views and make us more aware of other life perspectives." 💬 Share your thoughts below and read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dEZU4KNe VUB Research Image © Vrije Universiteit Brussel

⚠️ Women face systemic bias... and AI is learning it fast. FARI researcher and ULB Professor Nicolas van Zeebroeck was interviewed for Marion Bordier's important and timely article in Alter Echos: "AI: a Masculine Codename?" The article discusses how large language models mirror the gender stereotypes that prevail in our societies. Professor van Zeebroeck explains how biased data leads to unequal outcomes, and warns of a feedback loop that deepens societal divides and sidelines underrepresented groups in the digital world. "If algorithms are effective and satisfactory for a part of the population because they are better treated and represented, these users will be more comfortable with AI than other people who will perhaps abandon it. Result? Their data will continue to feed AI and not that of others." 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dDEkwij7

Do you think you could beat a robot at tic-tac-toe? ⚠️ Spoiler alert: it is more difficult than you might think! At our Test and Experience Center, you can play a round against a robot on our OXO players. A robotic arm follows your moves on a touchscreen and responds using a stylus with remarkable precision. This is not just a game, but an educational demonstration designed to explore a fundamental question: How different are human and artificial intelligence? AI models learn through the analysis of large data sets, using mathematical and statistical methods. This enables them to perform very specific tasks with extreme accuracy. In the case of tic-tac-toe, the robot instantly calculates all possible outcomes and consistently chooses the best move. This makes it unbeatable… as long as the rules do not change. However, the robot lacks adaptability. A simple variation, such as switching to a 4x4 grid, would render it ineffective. Humans, in contrast, are naturally adaptable. They can quickly grasp new rules, improvise, and manage complexity with ease. While AI excels in precision and speed, humans outperform in versatility, creativity, and the ability to learn from context. 💡 Another demonstration that highlights the strengths and limitations of both human and artificial intelligence. 🦾 Martin Canter, Simeon Michel, Laura Jousset, Sezen Avci, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Université libre de Bruxelles, VUB Research, ULB Research & Innovation

🤝 "AI is not only about technology. AI is also about people, and developing AI systems, especially for the common good, is also partly preparing people to collaborate with these AI systems." Listen to Margarita Ghulam and Tuur Roels, alumni of our AI for the Common Good postgraduate program with Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as they share how the program empowered them to apply AI responsibly and effectively in their professional fields. 🎓 Apply for enrollment here: https://lnkd.in/d34yCY-Q Karen Boers, Emilie Maccarini, Lore Stanson, Laetitia d'Ornano, Johan Loeckx, An Jacobs, Gloria González Fuster, Nicolas van Zeebroeck, Geoffrey Aerts, Nassima Noufail https://lnkd.in/dE6ktxd4

Happy Belgian National Day! 🇧🇪 Bonne fête nationale – Fijne nationale feestdag – Einen schönen Nationalfeiertag! On behalf of all of us at FARI, we wish you a joyful and inspiring 21 July celebration!

On 17 July, FARI had the pleasure of joining an inspiring breakfast event hosted by the Québec Government Office in Brussels and CRIQUE, celebrating the first anniversary of Canada’s association to Horizon Europe 🇨🇦🇪🇺 The event shed light on Québec’s increasing participation in Horizon Europe, with 11 projects already funded since the association agreement. The conversations emphasized Québec’s strong alignment with key European research priorities and in areas that resonate with FARI’s mission: artificial intelligence, smart cities, urban innovation, and digital infrastructure. 🤝 We are proud to play an active role in this vibrant transatlantic research ecosystem, collaborating on projects that bridge borders and promote innovation for the common good. A heartfelt thank you to the Délégation générale du Québec à Bruxelles (DGQB) for the kind invitation and for fostering a thoughtful space for exchange and connection. Carl-Maria MÖRCH - Laura Jousset - Marie Lachapelle - Erwan Huon de Kermadec - Stéphanie Franssen - Tanguy De Lestré

🔍 In Belgium, 4 in 10 people are considered digitally vulnerable. As technology becomes an ever more integral part of daily life, empowering people with the skills and confidence to navigate the digital world is more urgent than ever. In a recent podcast, Radio-Canada showcased our #CitizenEngagementHub and its collaboration with ALGO-LIT to train digital mediators: a key step toward bridging the digital divide in the age of AI. “If you don’t master these tools, it can have a big impact on everyday life... The goal is to help citizens, especially the most vulnerable, gain autonomy in their digital lives.” — Chloé Sondervorst From basic computer skills to safe internet use, digital mediators are making sure no one gets left behind. By working together, we can build a more inclusive digital future. 🎧 Check out the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/dgeHGcDr Lea Rogliano, La Mednum, Datactivist, Waag Futurelab #CitizenEngagement #DigitalInclusion #DigitalLiteracy 📷©️ Thierry Geenen

Julien Baudru and Senne Deproost answer "What is AI?" at Cevora AI Week! 🌐 From May 12–15, over 30,000 participants joined online for a week of AI insights and expert-led webinars. On May 13, our researchers Julien Baudru (IRIDIA, ULB) and Senne Deproost (AI Lab, VUB) delivered an accessible keynote on "What is AI?" explaining how AI learns, how data is used, and what powers neural networks and generative AI. 📽️ Want to check it out? Watch the full videos here: 🇫🇷 FR: https://lnkd.in/dWbGiBzP 🇳🇱 NL: https://lnkd.in/deriqu4v. Karen Boers, Emilie Maccarini, Lore Stanson, Université libre de Bruxelles, Vrije Universiteit Brussel #CevoraAIWeek #ArtificialIntelligence #Webinar