Prof. Rizzoli keynote speaker at Wageningen University

How can researchers and students use AI responsibly to promote sustainability? This was the central question during the 107th Dies Natalis celebration at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, which featured Prof. Andrea Emilio Rizzoli, the Director of IDSIA USI-SUPSI, as the keynote speaker.

During his speech, Rizzoli emphasised the excellent level of AI research in Europe and addressed current challenges, such as the evolution of AI and its connection to sustainability. In the first case, he referenced the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Baker and Hassabis, the latter co-founder of DeepMind, to emphasise that the current advancements we are witnessing in various AI applications stem from decades of research rather than sudden breakthroughs.

In the second, he highlighted how AI can improve large-scale data management, improve the accuracy of climate models, and optimise management practices through reinforcement learning. However, challenges remain, such as the rising energy costs associated with training large AI models and the uncertainties surrounding the cost-benefit ratio.

Below is the full video of the speech.