AI in Africa & SDGs Workshop at HHAI 2024

The “AI in Africa & SDGs: Bridging Networks and Fostering Climate Action” workshop was successfully held on June 11, 2024, as part of the 3rd International Conference on Hybrid Human-Artificial Intelligence (HHAI 2024). Hosted at Malmö University, in collaboration with Umeå University and organized by the Network for Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge, and Sustainable Development (Naixus), this workshop focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a special emphasis on climate action in Africa.

Workshop Highlights

The workshop aimed to harness AI for climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and policy support for SDGs. It featured a half-day session exploring AI’s role in these areas, alongside a Discovery Workshop that included brief, impactful presentations on AI innovations for SDGs. The event was designed to stimulate discussion, encourage collaboration, and showcase AI solutions to connect researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and communities across Africa.

Future Directions

The workshop concluded with a call to action for continued collaboration and knowledge exchange to strengthen networks for AI and SDGs in Africa. By highlighting successful AI projects and fostering dialogue among diverse stakeholders, the workshop aims to outline actionable strategies for leveraging AI in climate action and contribute to the achievement of SDGs through innovative technological applications.

 

 

Consortium Leader Antti Oulasvirta Awarded Prestigious ERC Grant for Pioneering Research on Computational Models of Human Behavior

Congratulations to Antti Oulasvirta, one of the consortium leaders, for receiving the esteemed ERC grant, a prestigious European funding award that enables scientists to pursue groundbreaking research visions. Oulasvirta’s work, centered on creating computational models of human behavior, thought processes, and experiences, aims to enable computers and AI to better understand their users. His ambitious vision goes beyond building functional user models; he envisions future systems where user models can interact dynamically within their operational environments, offering richer, more adaptive user experiences.

In addition to Oulasvirta’s achievement, other notable research initiatives within the consortium are breaking new ground in environmental sustainability and digital geopolitics:

  • Olli Ikkala is focusing on reducing pollutants from the dye and pigment industry by developing structural colors based on light reflection. His research explores sustainable alternatives to traditional dyes. “Could it be possible in the future to change the structural colors with light? Could colors adapt like in biology?” he wonders, envisioning a future where colors might transform dynamically.
  • Vili Lehdonvirta is investigating the geopolitics of digital infrastructure, a timely exploration given the shift from local data storage to hyperscale data centers. Lehdonvirta’s project seeks to map this evolving “geography of computation” and to reveal how nations are maneuvering to control and shape the digital landscape. “I seek for the first time to map this changing geography of computation and uncover how different states are attempting to shape it to their advantage,” he explains.

These projects represent cutting-edge research in both technology and social science, supported by the ERC grant to drive innovation and sustainability in fields as varied as AI, environmental science, and digital policy.