In the past few years, the EU has shown a growing commitment to address the rapid transformations brought about by the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments by increasing efforts in AI regulation. Nevertheless, despite the growing body of technical knowledge and progress, the governance of AI-intensive technologies remains dynamic and challenging. A mounting chorus of experts expresses reservations about an overemphasis on regulation in Europe. Among their core arguments is the concern that such an approach might hinder innovation within the AI arena. This concern resonates particularly strongly compared to the United States and Asia, where AI-driven innovation appears to be surging ahead, potentially leaving Europe behind. This paper emphasizes the need to balance certification and governance in AI to foster ethical innovation and enhance the reliability and competitiveness of European technology. It explores recent AI regulations and upcoming European laws, underscoring Europe’s role in the global AI landscape. The authors analyze European governance approaches and their impact on SMEs and startups, offering a comparative view of global regulatory efforts. The paper highlights significant global AI developments from the past year, focusing on Europe’s contributions. We address the complexities of creating a comprehensive, human-centred AI master’s programme for higher education. Finally, we discuss how Europe can seize opportunities to promote ethical and reliable AI progress through education, fostering a balanced approach to regulation and enhancing young professionals’ understanding of ethical and legal aspects.
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In my previous post on AI engineering I defined the concepts involved in this new discipline and explained that with the current state of the practice, AI engineers could also be named machine learning (ML) engineers. In this post I would like to 1) define our view on the profession of applied AI engineer and 2) present the toolbox of an AI engineer with tools, methods and techniques to defy the challenges AI engineers typically face. I end this post with a short overview of related work and future directions. Attached to it is an extensive list of references and additional reading material.
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This white paper is the result of a research project by Hogeschool Utrecht, Floryn, Researchable, and De Volksbank in the period November 2021-November 2022. The research project was a KIEM project1 granted by the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA. The goal of the research project was to identify the aspects that play a role in the implementation of the explainability of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the Dutch financial sector. In this white paper, we present a checklist of the aspects that we derived from this research. The checklist contains checkpoints and related questions that need consideration to make explainability-related choices in different stages of the AI lifecycle. The goal of the checklist is to give designers and developers of AI systems a tool to ensure the AI system will give proper and meaningful explanations to each stakeholder.
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The research proposal aims to improve the design and verification process for coastal protection works. With global sea levels rising, the Netherlands, in particular, faces the challenge of protecting its coastline from potential flooding. Four strategies for coastal protection are recognized: protection-closed (dikes, dams, dunes), protection-open (storm surge barriers), advancing the coastline (beach suppletion, reclamation), and accommodation through "living with water" concepts. The construction process of coastal protection works involves collaboration between the client and contractors. Different roles, such as project management, project control, stakeholder management, technical management, and contract management, work together to ensure the project's success. The design and verification process is crucial in coastal protection projects. The contract may include functional requirements or detailed design specifications. Design drawings with tolerances are created before construction begins. During construction and final verification, the design is measured using survey data. The accuracy of the measurement techniques used can impact the construction process and may lead to contractual issues if not properly planned. The problem addressed in the research proposal is the lack of a comprehensive and consistent process for defining and verifying design specifications in coastal protection projects. Existing documents focus on specific aspects of the process but do not provide a holistic approach. The research aims to improve the definition and verification of design specifications through a systematic review of contractual parameters and survey methods. It seeks to reduce potential claims, improve safety, enhance the competitiveness of maritime construction companies, and decrease time spent on contractual discussions. The research will have several outcomes, including a body of knowledge describing existing and best practices, a set of best practices and recommendations for verifying specific design parameters, and supporting documents such as algorithms for verification.
Kwaliteitscontroles in productieprocessen in de maakindustrie zijn vaak destructief en daarmee niet duurzaam. In dit project onderzoeken we hoe door toepassing van process mining op real time sensor data de kwaliteitscontrole al tijdens het productieproces kan worden uitgevoerd en potentiële problemen vroegtijdig ontdekt.
Kwaliteitscontroles in productieprocessen in de maakindustrie zijn vaak destructief en daarmee niet duurzaam. In dit project onderzoeken we hoe door toepassing van process mining op real time sensor data de kwaliteitscontrole al tijdens het productieproces kan worden uitgevoerd en potentiële problemen vroegtijdig ontdekt.Doel Het doel van het project is om op basis van realtime data de kwaliteit van het eindproduct van het productieproces te kunnen voorspellen en waar nodig het productieproces bij te sturen. Hiermee kan de industrie duurzamer werken. Resultaten Het project levert een AI software toolkit op met methoden en algoritmen voor toepassing in de productieprocessen in verschillende industrieën. Looptijd 15 januari 2021 - 15 november 2024 Aanpak Nieuwe process mining algoritmes worden ontwikkeld en getoetst in case studies bij verschillende industriële bedrijven. Op basis van de uitkomsten wordt een software toolkit ontwikkeld voor toepassing in de praktijk. Impact op onderwijs Studenten van instituut voor ICT gaan, samen met studenten van TU Eindhoven, cases studies uitvoeren bij verschillende industrieën. Cofinanciering Het project wordt gefinancierd door NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek).
