ELO-X Workshop on Ethical Innovation for Autonomous Systems
October 23-25 2024, Munich, Germany
This workshop is independently organized by the ELO-X Early Stage Researchers (ESRs).
Scheduled for the conclusion of the project, the workshop aims to equip participants with the tools to foster ethical innovation in the field of autonomous systems.
Event Schedule
Day 1 - 23/10/2024
Day 2 - 24/10/2024
Day 3 - 25/10/2024
Morning session
09:00 – 12:00
Ethical innovation for autonomous systems.
09:00 – 09:15 Arrival
09:15 – 10:15 Keynote – Christoph Lütge (Technical University of Munich)
10:15 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:45 Keynote – Kai Liu (Siemens)
11:45 – 12:00 Shared discussion
Location: ECOS work spaces
09:00 – 12:00
Visit at the BMW Autonomous Driving Campus.
Only for ELO-X members.
Location: BMW Autonomous Driving Campus
Afternoon session
13:30 – 17:00
Ethics in business strategy and IP management.
13:30 – 14:30 Keynote – Stephen Milford (Basel University)
14:30 – 14:45 Break
14:45 – 15:45 Keynote – Boyuan Wei (Siemens Advanta)
15:45 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 17:00 Keynote – Mrinalini Kochupillai
17:00 – 17:30 Shared discussion
Location: ECOS work spaces
14:00 – 18:00
Technical dissemination session.
Presentation and discussion about the work from the ESRs.
14:15 – 15:15 Presentations 1-4
15:15 – 15:30 Break
15:30 – 16:30 Presentations 5-8
16:30 – 16:45 Break
16:45 – 17:45 Presentations 9-12
Location: ECOS work spaces
Evening
–
Social dinner.
Only for ELO-X members.
The event is open to public participation unless specified otherwise. Limited on-site participation is available upon registration through this form. Online participation will be possible from this page on the days of the event.
Speakers
Christoph Lütge
Christoph Lütge is Full Professor of Business Ethics at Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Director of the TUM Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (IEAI). Since 2020 he is Distinguished Visiting Professor of Tokyo University and has held further visiting positions at Harvard, Stockholm, Taipei and Kyoto. In 2007, he was awarded a Heisenberg Fellowship by the German Research Foundation.
Talk title: Ethics and Sustainability of AI: Challenges, Opportunities & Governance
Abstract:
The increasing presence of artificial intelligence is associated with a number of ethical and governance questions. This presentation explores some ethical opportunities as well as challenges of the use of AI in a variety of fields, with a particular focus on sustainability of AI. AI ethics fundamentals such as key ethical principles are discussed, as well as initiatives to govern the responsible and safe adoption of AI, in particular the recent EU AI act.
Kai Liu
Kai Liu is a Senior Key Expert and Innovation Manager specializing in generative AI at Siemens Digital Industry Software. He leads the integration of generative AI technologies into advanced simulation software. With nearly 20 years of industrial experience spanning EDA, PLM software, industrial automation, semantic technology, and AI, Kai brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role. He holds a Master’s degree in Computational Engineering from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and a Bachelor’s degree in Automation from Tongji University in China.
Talk title: Transform Engineering with the Power of AI
Abstract:
This presentation will provide an overview of the application of AI in Siemens’ industrial simulation software portfolio. The presenter will explore existing AI solutions in our current software offerings and discuss future prospects. Key aspects will include improved user interaction, innovative design support, and faster decision-making processes. The session will highlight how the power of AI, leveraging both conventional machine learning and generative AI technologies, is transforming the future of engineering.
Stephen Milford
Stephen Milford is currently a researcher at the Institute for Biomedical Ethics (University of Basel) as well as an extra-ordinary researcher at North-West University (South Africa). He obtained his undergraduate degrees at the University of Johannesburg before obtaining a master’s degree from Trinity College, Dublin as well as from Oxford University. In 2017 he completed his first PhD at the PTU in the Netherlands and a second PhD in biomedical ethics from Basel University in 2024. His research interests lie in bioethics, AI ethics, human rights, and personhood.
Talk title: The Ethics of Automatic Dying: A Discussion on Automating Life and Death Decisions
Abstract:
Automative technologies, and in particular AI, have radically advanced in recent years promising to affect all aspects of our lives. While ethical questions abound, none are more important than the question of automating life and death scenarios. This discussion session will explore the ethics of automating life and death scenarios in three key areas: mobility, health care, and war. Exploring concrete examples in each case normative frameworks will be used as a springboard for participant engagement giving ample time to explore the significance of AI choosing who lives and who dies.
Boyuan Wei
Boyuan is a Senior Strategy Consultant at Siemens Advanta Consulting, where he serves as a strategic advisor for Siemens and its customers. His expertise spans corporate strategy, from developing master plans for business units to diversification strategy for specific businesses, with a particular focus on the industrial goods and energy sectors. Prior to his current position, Boyuan completed his PhD in Electrical Engineering at KU Leuven in Belgium. His research focused on distributed controls in power systems to help integrate renewable energy resources.
Talk title: Sustainable Success: Ethical Practices in Modern Business Strategy
Abstract:
This talk focuses on the importance of integrating ethical practices into business strategies, highlighting core values like integrity and transparency and discussing how they drive long-term success. Through real-life examples, it will demonstrate the benefits of ethical practices and offer practical solutions to common challenges. Additionally, the career bridge between engineering research and business strategy will also be briefly covered.
Mrinalini Kochupillai
Mrinalini (Nalini) Kochupillai is currently a lecturer at the University of Vienna. From 2020-2024, she was a non-tenured (Guest) associate professor and core scientist at the Technical University of Munich, leading the ethics group in the Future Lab: AI for Earth Observation. Before joining the Future Lab, Nalini has been a senior research fellow with the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition (2014-2018), and with the Chair for Business Ethics at the Technical University of Munich (2018-2019). She has also been a Program Director (2014-2017) and lecturer (2013-2022) at the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC), and an adjunct faculty at the EU Business School (2013-2014; 2018) and the Franklin Pierce Law Center (FPLC) (2007-2008). She has over 15 years of experience in teaching and research in the field of business law, intellectual property (patent) law, plant variety protection, sustainable innovations (in agriculture) and business ethics. Her more recent multi-disciplinary research has focused on legal and ethical issues/opportunities in emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI and Earth observation. In 2023, Nalini was awarded the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for her project “Blockchain for Biodiversity” (ReSeed) which builds on her 12-year multi-disciplinary research on means of promoting conservation and sustainable
innovations with agricultural biodiversity. Previously, she has also worked on these topics as Co PI and lead author with the University of Leeds and Art of Living Foundation (Projects titled “IP and Global Development” funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, and the Global Challenges Research Fund).
Talk title: Ethical Business Strategies & Intellectual Property Management in Autonomous Systems
Abstract:
The rise of autonomous systems is pushing the boundaries of technological innovation, forcing start-ups and established industries alike to rethink their business and intellectual property management strategies. AI-driven technologies increasingly contribute to policy- and decision making, leading to a plethora of unexpected ethical dilemmas, inter alia, around IP protection, data ownership, and access to critical technologies. In this talk, I will explore the intersection of ethics, business strategy, and IP management in the context of autonomous systems drawing on a few real-world case studies.
More specifically, the talk will give examples of how companies can adopt novel, ethical business strategies and IP management strategies that give them a competitive advantage while ensuring public interest. Key questions addressed will include: How can Business and IP strategies promote responsible innovation? What ethical considerations should guide the protection and sharing of AI-related patents and trade secrets? How can businesses ensure that their IP management policies align with broader societal goals, such as fairness, transparency, and the equitable distribution of AI benefits? Regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act and the Charter of Fundamental Rights will be discussed as relevant in the context of the case studies.