Last week, between 2-4 October, Budapest hosted The European Big Data Value Forum (EBDVF), organised by the Big Data Value Association (BDVA), bringing together industry professionals, business developers, researchers and policy-makers from all over Europe and other regions of the world to advance policy actions and industrial and research activities in the areas of Data and AI.
The programme was packed and eclectic, with eighteen major plenary sessions and over forty workshops on highly relevant topics like “Generative AI and foundation models”; “AI Act implementation”; “Value creation in data spaces”; ‘Virtual worlds’; ‘Convergence’; “HPC and Big Data/AI”;; ‘Technology Platforms”; but also the impact on industries such as automotive, healthcare and pharma, public services, manufacturing, energy and agri-food.
Knowledge sharing, industry insights and best practices
The EBDVF served as a hub for sharing knowledge and disseminating cutting-edge research into data and artificial intelligence. Participants were able to engage with experts from a wide range of organisations presenting innovative ideas, and learn about new trends in these rapidly evolving fields. The forum also provided an opportunity to learn more about successful implementations, challenges encountered and best practices adopted by different sectors, enabling participants to apply this knowledge to their own areas of expertise.
Policy discussions and future directions
The EBDVF featured discussions on policy issues related to data governance, privacy and ethical considerations in the use of data and AI. As mentioned by several European Commission representatives on different occasions during the event, ‘We are in the implementation phase of important AI regulations’, commented Lucilla Sioli, Director of the EU AI Office at the European Commission’s DG Connect, especially since the AI law came into force last August. Very interesting debates between lawyers and technical experts were part of the “Risk assessment and trust in socio-technical AI-systems session”, for example. Translating new AI regulations into concrete technological advancements requires careful consideration of several key factors. Trustworthy and ethical AI was at the centre of the sessions.
“We need to improve the work of labelling AI because if they were clothes, we wouldn’t buy it”, expressed Elena Simperl, Professor of computer science at King’s College London during a panel discussion on “Europe for Global leadership in AI and Data – A policy and research perspective.
In this case, by AI labelling, we refer to the process of adding tags, annotations, or metadata to AI training data or AI-generated content. This is a human activity that is essential for training AI models, but it also often represents an inconvenient truth that breaks the spell of ‘magically intelligent’ artificial systems capable of distinguishing what is right from what is wrong. Transparency about who performs these activities is necessary to ensure an ethical standard comparable to that currently expected and demanded in many other sectors.
The ‘interoperability of data’ was also explored at the EBDVF. The full potential of data for both businesses and society can only be achieved if the use of data is made easy across industrial sectors and businesses: “Interoperability of data, data management and services, and data spaces is needed to build data pipelines and value-creation networks between parties, was at the centre of the discussions of the ‘Interoperability of data spaces for seamless value creation networks’ session organised by the partners of the Data Spaces 2 initiative.
Innovation showcase
The forum also showcased innovative products. Researchers from the Hungarian organisation “HUN-REN SZTAKI” made a fun robot-dog demonstration. Attendees could explore new technologies, witness demonstrations, and potentially discover solutions that could benefit their organisations or research endeavors.
Networking opportunities
The EBDVF certainly provided an excellent platform for networking with professionals, researchers, and industry leaders in the field of big data and artificial intelligence. Attendees were able to establish valuable connections, collaborate on potential projects, and stay informed about the latest developments in the sector. By attending the EBDVF, participants were able to enhance their knowledge, expand their professional network, and gain valuable insights into the rapidly evolving landscape of data and AI technologies. Several of Martel’s projects were present at the EBDVF 2024 – 6G-XR, NexusForum.eu, CoGNETs, Teadal, INPACE and OPENVERSE – with different formats: demos, booths, workshops, and panel discussions.
