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AI Ethics and Education for a Democratic Future @ ACTION SUMMIT

Feb 25, 2025 | Events, News

As a significant side event at the AI Action Summit 2025, ELIAS played an important role in supporting the Workshop on AI Ethics and Education for Democracy. Held on February 6, 2025, at CNRS Site Pouchet in Paris, this interdisciplinary gathering united global experts to examine the intersection of AI, ethics, and democratic values.

The AI Action Summit 2025, held in Paris on February 10-11, gathered over 100 heads of state, leading AI organisations, and 1,500 experts to address the future of AI governance. A central theme of the summit was the need for a global framework that balances AI’s rapid advancements with ethical and sustainable development, particularly in Europe.

Promoting AI Ethics and Education for a Democratic Future

Together with IRCAI, International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO, Centre for Internet and Society at CNRS, and 3IA Côte d’Azur, ELIAS supported and co-organised a workshop on AI Ethics and Education for Democracy at AI Action Summit, co-led by IRCAI’s Director John Shawe-Taylor and Vanessa Nurock, Professor of Philosophy at Côte d’Azur University.

This event, held at the CNRS Site Pouchet in Paris, brought together AI and ethics experts to discuss how we can strengthen democracy in the age of AI. The event highlighted ongoing research and insights from the Journal of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development (JAISD), deepening the dialogue on AI’s role in a democratic future, ethical information dissemination, and education. The discussions aimed to explore how we can ensure that AI does not jeopardise democracy and how we can cultivate a democratic, AI-enabled education. This theme is particularly important in today’s post-truth era, where the question arises: under what conditions could AI encourage education for democracy?

Experts and participants from Brazil, Chile, the UK, France, Slovenia, and Portugal in-depth discussions on the ethical challenges of information dissemination, and the potential role of AI in transforming education. Discussions centred on ensuring human-centric AI, mitigating bias and misinformation, and fostering AI-driven educational innovation while safeguarding democratic values.

UNESCO AI Centres Meeting: Strengthening Global Collaboration

Representing ELIAS and its partner organisation IRCAI, Joao Pita Costa further contributed to the global AI ethics dialogue at the UNESCO AI Centres meeting on February 10, 2025, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The meeting provided a platform to present ELIAS’ research and outcomes from the Workshop, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary and international cooperation in AI governance, emphasizing the consortium’s mission to develop AI solutions aligned with sustainability and democratic principles.

AI for a Democratic and Sustainable Future

The JAISD Workshop and AI Action Summit 2025 reinforced the urgent need for responsible AI development that upholds democratic principles and drives sustainable progress. As a key contributor, ELIAS continues to shape AI policies and research, ensuring that technological advancements align with societal well-being, ethical standards, and long-term sustainability. Through its continued collaboration with academia, industry, and global partners, ELIAS is dedicated to positioning Europe as a leader in AI innovation—one that prioritises inclusivity, respects fundamental rights, and fosters a more just and cohesive global society.

ELIAS 1st Open Call

Jan 29, 2025 | Opportunities

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Join ELIAS for a 6-month project funded by the European Union and receive:

♦ Up to € 60.000 (lump sum) to develop AI/Machine Learning applications for Sustainability

♦ Visibility through ELIAS online channels and events, and dissemination in the ELIAS
community.

♦ The funding follows a payment schedule with one unique payment after the publication of results.

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Deadline: April 30th (midnight CEST)

APPLY HERE

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What are we looking for?

ELIAS is looking for projects based on AI applications that engage with the network in the categories “Methodology”, “Software/Tools”, “Benchmarks” relevant but not limited to the use cases of ELIAS (see list below) in the scope of AI for Sustainability. ELIAS is focused on 3 research spheres but applications are not limited to them as long as the proposals will address high-impact societal and economic challenges using machine learning.

Use Cases:

♦ AI for Building Optimization | ♦ AI for Monitoring the Virtual Infrastructure | ♦ Responsible, User-centric Advertising

♦ Mitigating misinformed migrant perception in EU | ♦ AI for Forecasting of Vegetation State | ♦ Materials Discovery | ♦ Personalized co-piloting systems

Downloadable Resources

ELIAS Guidelines for Applicants (GfA) - DOWNLOAD

ELIAS Open Call FAQs - DOWNLOAD

ELIAS Open Call Presentation - DOWNLOAD

Announcements

Q&A Session

ELIAS 1st Open Call: Q&A Session

Join our online Q&A session to get all the details, ask your questions, and discover how your AI project can secure up to €60,000 in funding!

📅 When? March 26, 2025 – 10 AM (CET)
🔗 Join us on Zoom: Click here

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the ELIAS team and explore how AI can drive sustainability!

Join us

Research Highlight: The Impact of Beauty Filters on Perceptions and Cognitive Biases

Nov 29, 2024 | News, Research, Research Highlights

A compelling study on the attractiveness halo effect in the digital realm, conducted by researchers from the ELLIS Alicante Foundation and Fondazione Bruno Kessler, and partially funded by the ELIAS project, has been published in the Royal Society Open Science. This landmark research, led by Aditya Gulati and co-authored by Marina Martínez-Garcia, Daniel Fernández, Miguel Ángel Lozano, Bruno Lepri, and Nuria Oliver, examines how AI-driven beauty filters influence perceptions of attractiveness and traits such as intelligence and trustworthiness.

The study has recieved significant international attention, featuring in prominent outlets such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, and Die Welt. With a high Altmetric score placing it in the top 5% of all scored publications, it is clear that the findings resonate across both academic and public spheres.

Addressing a Critical Gap: The Digital Attractiveness Halo Effect

This research tackles an under-explored issue: how cognitive biases shape decision-making in the digital age. Specifically, it investigates the attractiveness halo effect, where perceptions of physical beauty affect judgments of unrelated traits like intelligence or trustworthiness.

In a large-scale online study, 2,748 participants rated images of 462 individuals in two conditions: original and beautified (via AI-based beauty filters). The results? A striking 96.1% of individuals were rated as more attractive post-beautification, with centralised attractiveness scores rising from 3.57 to 5.01 on a 7-point scale.

Key Findings and Their Implications

1. Beauty Filters and Cognitive Bias

Enhanced Attractiveness: AI-driven beauty filters significantly increased attractiveness ratings across all demographic groups.
Weakened Halo Effect: The attractiveness halo effect diminished for traits such as intelligence and trustworthiness after beautification, suggesting filters may reduce certain cognitive biases.

2. Unveiling Gender Bias

Persistent Stereotypes: Women were rated as more attractive than men, but men were perceived as more intelligent—particularly after beautification.
Implications for Equity: These findings highlight deeply entrenched gender stereotypes, with potential ramifications in professional and social contexts.

3. The Role of Demographics

Age: Younger individuals were perceived as more attractive, while older individuals were rated as more intelligent and trustworthy—aligning with the well-documented “wisdom bias.”
Ethnicity: Contrary to earlier studies, this research found that the attractiveness halo effect generalised across ethnicities, even when participants rated individuals of different ethnic backgrounds.

4. Ethical Concerns

The widespread use of beauty filters raises pressing ethical questions:

Authenticity vs. Artificiality: Filters blur the line between real and artificial self-representation.
Mental Health Impacts: Regular use of filters has been linked to body dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression, particularly among young women.
Bias Reinforcement: Filters may inadvertently reinforce harmful stereotypes, as demonstrated by the study’s findings on gendered perceptions of intelligence.

A Call for Ethical AI and Transparency

The study underscores the urgent need for ethical guidelines and transparency around the use of AI-powered beauty filters. With 90% of women aged 18–30 reporting the use of beauty filters on social media, the societal implications of these tools cannot be ignored.

Further research is also necessary to explore:

The “dark side” of beauty, including correlations between increased attractiveness and traits like vanity or materialism.
The halo update effect, which examines how perceptions evolve over time when new information is presented.

Global Impact and Recognition

The study has resonated far beyond academia, capturing the public’s attention through extensive media coverage and its top-tier Altmetric score. It exemplifies the impact of interdisciplinary research —melding AI, psychology, and ethics—to address real-world challenges.

As part of the ELIAS project, this work highlights the importance of advancing ethical AI while raising awareness about the complex consequences of technological tools in our lives.

Read the Full Study

Access the full paper in The Royal Society Open Science: What is beautiful is still good: the attractiveness halo effect in the era of beauty filters

IDEAHACK 2024: Bridging Academia, Business, and Investors at Poland’s First Sciencepreneurship Hackathon

Nov 26, 2024 | Events, News

Warsaw, Poland – November 17, 2024
IDEAHACK 2024, held on November 16-17 at the IDEAS NCBR headquarters in Warsaw, marked a significant milestone as Poland’s inaugural sciencepreneurship hackathon. Organised as part of the European Lighthouse of AI for Sustainability (ELIAS) project, the event aimed to foster collaboration between academia, industry, and investors, emphasizing sustainable AI development.

A Platform for Collaboration

The event attracted 57 participants across 14 teams, each tasked with creating a web platform to connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and financiers. Each solution needed to address diverse stakeholder needs, foster collaboration, and and showcase a demo and presentation. Teams were evaluated on criteria such as project alignment with the IDEAHACK goals, presentation quality, and business potential.

Top Teams and Awards

After two intense days of brainstorming and development, the hackathon concluded with three standout teams:

NerdNet claimed the first prize of PLN 15,000, impressing judges with their innovative approach.
HERbata took second place, earning a prize of PLN 10,000.
Odkluczacze secured third place and PLN 5,000.

Expert Guidance and Mentorship

Participants benefited from the insights of a distinguished panel of mentors and jurors, including industry leaders such as Paulina Skrzypińska (BNP Paribas), Tomasz Trzciński (IDEAS NCBR), Konrad Howard (Booksy), and Marek Dziubinski (Solvemed), Fabrice Filliez (Swiss Embassy in Poland), and others. Their guidance ensured high-quality solutions that aligned with the event’s ambitious goals.

Support from Key Partners

The event was supported by notable organisations. Amazon Web Services provided free cloud environments for prototyping, while Accenture Poland sponsored the grand prize. The hackathon also featured a special guest speech from Piotr Grudzień of Quickchat AI, adding inspiration to the occasion.

A Milestone in Science and Industry

Beyond being a competition, IDEAHACK 2024 served as a vibrant showcase of innovation and collaboration. It demonstrated the transformative potential of AI in uniting diverse sectors to address pressing challenges.

As a pioneering initiative in Poland’s sciencepreneurship landscape, IDEAHACK 2024 set a high standard, igniting momentum for future collaborations that leverage AI for sustainable development.

ELIAS Nodes have been presented to the public during the Falling Walls Event in Berlin, Germany

Nov 11, 2024 | ELIAS Alliance, Events, News, Press Release

Press Release: ELIAS Alliance Launch

ELIAS Nodes have been presented to the public during the Falling Walls Event in Berlin, Germany

Berlin, Germany – November 8, 2024

Inspiring a new generation of AI&Science value creators

The ELIAS Alliance for European Leadership in Innovation with AI and Science proudly introduced eight inaugural ELIAS Nodes at the Falling Walls AI Night, held on November 8th, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. This event, renowned for celebrating breakthroughs in science and innovation, provided an excellent platform for launching the pan-European Alliance with its new nodes in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Cambridge, Copenhagen, Munich, Potsdam, Tübingen, and Zurich. The nodes establish a network of startups and incubators and collaborate to support entrepreneurship and the open-source development of foundation models for European value creation.

Funded by the EU through the European Lighthouse of AI for Sustainability, the ELIAS Alliance has close links to the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) which brings together the strongest AI research labs in Europe and serves as a one-stop shop for PhD and postdoc candidates to find their best matching supervisors. Building on this academic excellence network, the ELIAS Alliance is now making a push to integrate value-creation literacy and future skills into academic curricula, linking talent between academia and business across Europe. Each ELIAS node operates as an entrepreneurial hub, leveraging the unique strengths and ecosystems of its location, and creating new possibilities for students to earn their degrees with innovation-centric research projects. Key figures within the Alliance, including Matthias Bethge, Director of the Tübingen AI Center, and Jessica Montgomery, Director of ai@cam and Co-head of the ELIAS Node Cambridge, spoke to the transformative potential of AI and the mission of ELIAS.

Bethge, a main initiator of the Alliance, noted “I envision a future where science becomes a place of intellectual pursuit that combines knowledge and value creation as two sides of the same coin. AI has the power to drive meaningful innovation by transforming technology and empirical science. In education, for instance, AI holds immense potential to empower self-directed learning and foster future skills, benefiting all learners. At the same time, AI can elevate education research by providing deep insights into the actual needs of students, teachers, and other stakeholders through large-scale data collection and analysis.”

Montgomery, echoed Bethge’s perspective, adding “Advances in AI are giving us an increasingly powerful set of tools that could help tackle some of the major challenges that society faces. We need to do more to translate our technical capabilities to widespread public benefit. ELIAS is helping build an infrastructure for interdisciplinary innovation with AI that will tackle real-world problems.”

Looking Ahead: Programmes to Support AI Talent and Innovation

Highlights from the event included presentations on two new initiatives supported by the ELIAS Alliance: the “Open Sci” foundation model project and the “AI Launchpad” accelerator. Ann-Lauriene Schumacher from ETH AI Center explained: “With the AI Launchpad, we are building a pan-European accelerator program as a one-stop shop to support innovative startups and fostering the European exchange in terms of knowledge, resources and financing.”

These initiatives reflect the ELIAS Alliance’s commitment to catalysing open science and supporting the next generation of AI innovators through access to advanced tools, mentorship, and networking. During the event, representatives from each ELIAS Node shared insights into their current projects, showcasing the breadth and diversity of innovation tailored to the unique strengths of their regions. Dimosthenis Karatzas, Associate Director of the Computer Vision Center in Barcelona and Co-head of the ELIAS Node there, shared his thoughts on Europe’s potential: “While Europe is at the forefront of AI talent and knowledge, much of the real-world impact is currently happening outside our borders. ELIAS offers a platform that combines AI expertise with entrepreneurial skills, enabling us to scale up AI-driven innovation in Barcelona and collaborate seamlessly with other top innovation hubs across Europe.”

The Alliance also unveiled plans for a European MSc Graduation Project Program and an annual Sciencepreneur Meeting, both designed to promote knowledge exchange and cultivate thought leadership in AI value creation across Europe. Through these initiatives, the ELIAS Alliance will nurture a robust European ecosystem of talent, entrepreneurship, and AI advancement that supports sustainable, high-impact innovation.

A Vision of European AI Leadership

The ELIAS Alliance represents Europe’s decisive step towards fostering AI “made in Europe.” By connecting academia, industry, and startup ecosystems, ELIAS is paving the way for a future in which AI and innovation thrive together, building a sustainable economy while addressing the needs and values of European society.

About the Event

The Falling Walls AI Night, held on 8 November 2024 in Berlin, is part of the annual Falling Walls Summit, which celebrates global scientific breakthroughs. This unique event attracts researchers, decision-makers, CTOs, and strategists, fostering interdisciplinary discourse.

Initiated by the Falling Walls Foundation, the event features competitions for emerging talents and science startups on 7 November. The Falling Walls Circle on 8 November allows global leaders to discuss grand challenges, culminating in the recognition of the Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year on 9 November. This gathering underscores Berlin’s status as a key hub for science and innovation.

Press Release: ELIAS Alliance Launch – 12/11/2024

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Contact

Aygun Garayeva, PR Manager, ELIAS

Nicu Sebe, Coordinator, ELIAS

elias-coordination@unitn.it