Franco-German AI conference AIxIA combines artificial intelligence and the environment
Over 500 participants from 20 countries attended the Franco-German AI conference AIxIA | Artificial Intelligence meets Intelligence Artificielle on the topic of AI and the environment on December 3. The aim of the annual event was to bring AI out of the “ivory towers” of science and onto the “workbenches” of business in order to highlight the added value of applied AI.
As a powerful technology, AI can achieve the balancing act of promoting a greener world and at the same time boosting economic growth in the long term. The AIxIA used concrete examples to show how the use of smart algorithms is already working in the areas of production, agriculture, energy, water and resources. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 congress was held purely digitally for the first time.
Artificial intelligence and energy
The establishment of a Franco-German ecosystem for the use of artificial intelligence is intended to optimize the energy industry in the two neighbouring countries in the future. This is the result of a study that Lisa Kratochwill from the German Energy Agency (DENA) presented exclusively at the Franco-German conference. “When it comes to the further development of artificial intelligence, we need to move away from national approaches and develop a European strategy,” emphasized Kratochwill. Only then could the political goals in the fight against climate change be achieved.
According to the study, most energy companies are already aware that AI will have a major impact on the efficient control and distribution of energy in the future. Nevertheless, energy companies are still reluctant to embrace innovations. “People simply don’t know enough about AI,” said Kratochwill. This is why a broad-based information campaign was launched back in 2019. The aim is not yet to reinvent the wheel, but rather to improve understanding of the current state of developments. Kratochwill’s impulse was one of numerous presentations at the second edition of the AIxIA. In addition to high-caliber speakers from Germany and France, the AIxIA also welcomed political representatives from Berlin, Paris, Baden-Württemberg and Grand Est.
Europe wants to challenge China and the USA in AI
“The coronavirus has left deep scars on society in recent months. But the pandemic has also shown what is technically possible in Baden-Württemberg!” Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut
It is therefore important to use artificial intelligence responsibly to optimize processes. Hoffmeister-Kraut emphasized that European countries need to pool their expertise even more and work together more closely in order to hold their own against strong competition from China and the USA.
According to Hoffmeister-Kraut, the networking of German and French AI experts is definitely a step in the right direction. “This is the only way Europe can take on a leading role in AI,” emphasized the minister. Since the premiere of AIxIA in autumn 2019, many interesting projects have already been initiated and cross-border cooperation has been intensified. According to Hoffmeister-Kraut, in order to set themselves apart from non-European competitors, the German and French development teams must always consider ethical issues and not lose sight of the social aspects of the interaction between humans and machines.
There is still plenty of room for improvement in production
“We are in the middle of a journey, but we are nowhere near the end,” said Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gisela Lanza, Head of the Institute for Production Systems at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). AI systems are already being used in agriculture to increase efficiency. “But there is still a lot of room for improvement in traditional production,” says Lanza. The professor can only partially understand the current hype surrounding the topic. After all, some of the algorithms for increasing productivity were developed many years ago. The computers are now powerful enough to carry out the calculations.
“Artificial intelligence now affects almost every area of our lives. But it’s just a tool that helps us to work a little more efficiently,” Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Dr. Hannes Sieling from the Karlsruhe-based AI company Blue Yonder also presented a possibility for the sustainable use of AI. In order to prevent food from spoiling on supermarket shelves, the price of products whose best-before date is about to expire should be automatically reduced a few hours before the store closes. By analyzing customer data, sales behavior could be better managed overall and hard-to-sell goods could be sold more easily through targeted discounts.
AI cooperation between Germany and France is being expanded
The AIxIA AI conference made it clear that concrete projects have already emerged from the cooperation between Germany and France in the field of AI. In the future, the AIxIA organizers would like to further intensify cooperation between the countries through various exchange formats and working groups. The new projects and results will be presented at AIxIA 2021 at the latest!
The AIxIA is a joint event organized by the Karlsruhe Digital Hub for Applied Artificial Intelligence and the France HUB IA organized from Paris. It receives support from the Initiative karlsruhe.digital. The Digital Hub Karlsruhe is organized by the DIZ | Digital Innovation CenterCyberForum e. V. and the FZI Research Center for Information Technology and is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Housing BW.