This was day 1 of The Hessian AICon by hessian.AI
The Hessian AICon, the largest AI conference in Hesse, was inaugurated with a grand Welcome Dinner on the evening of July 4th.
Two prominent Hessian ministers, Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, Hessian Minister for Digital Strategy and Development, and Angela Dorn, Minister for Science and Art, sent video messages to greet the guests of the Welcome Dinner and officially kick off the AICon.
Today we have come together to kick off the three-day hessian.AI event ‘AICon 2023’. It is a key milestone in the world of Artificial Intelligence. As our center for Artificial Intelligence, hessian.AI’s mission is simple: to make AI widely available and comprehensible for research, industry, and society as a whole, while thoughtfully addressing the possibilities and challenges that it harbors. hessian.AI is an excellent example of forward-looking research, dedicated to realizing the full potential of AI.
Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, Hessian Minister for Digital Strategy and Development
Thirteen universities have collectively developed the concept of hessian.AI and submitted it to the state government for funding: The center combines the strong basic research of the leading Technische Universität Darmstadt with the subject-specific research of other universities as well as the practical research of the universities of applied sciences […]. Since its founding in the fall of 2020, an independent evaluation committee has attested that hessian.AI can serve as a beacon far beyond the state’s borders. You can see this radiance at this conference and in the resonance it generates. Even now, hessian.AI is a success story that has a lasting impact on the AI ecosystem in Hessen.
Angela Dorn, Minister for Science and Art
Prof. Mira Mezini and Prof. Kristian Kersting, Co-Directors of hessian.AI, also extended their warm welcome to the guests. Mezini’s and Kersting’s dinner speech encompassed the entire trajectory of AI research, from the beginnings at the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence in 1956 to current efforts to regulate AI – such as the “Pause AI” petition. The two enthusiastic AI researchers concluded that Europe must pool its strengths in the field of AI for the benefit of humanity, in other words, “AI for Good.”
Nothing could have been more fitting after this call than the presentation of the second hessian.AI Fellowship to Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster. He has shaped AI research from its infancy and has significantly advanced the public perception of AI, not only during his time as founding director and CEO of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Towards the end of this ceremony, Wahlster was visibly delighted to announce an honor of his own: Prof. Kristian Kersting will become an elected member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz, as proposed by Wahlster.
This wonderful surprise beautifully rounded off the evening. After the conclusion of the stage program, the guests had ample time for networking, professional exchanges, and conviviality, setting the stage for two upcoming conference days filled with anticipation.
About The Hessian AICon by hessian.AI
The Hessian AICon by hessian.AI, held from July 4th to 6th, provided an extensive insight into the realm of Artificial Intelligence and the AI ecosystem of Hesse and beyond.
Over the course of three exciting days, every facet of Artificial Intelligence was illuminated, discussed, and demonstrated. The AICon showcased the latest developments and trends in this dynamic field. After the Welcome Ceremony on July 4th, on July 5th, the spotlight was on “Research & Technology,” featuring captivating talks and invaluable networking opportunities. This was the chance to meet distinguished researchers and experts from both academia and industry, expanding your professional network. July 6th was all about “Startups & Impact,” offering numerous networking possibilities with startups from the AI ecosystem and industrial partners.
