AI Forum as one of the key events of the Economic Forum in Karpacz

The AI Forum will be one of the crucial events during this year's Economic Forum, which will begin in Karpacz in less than three months. The letter of intent was signed on June 18, 2024, by Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, along with five rectors of leading Polish universities, and Zygmunt Berdychowski, Chairman of the Program Council of the Economic Forum. The event was attended by Marcin Biegluk, General Director of the RASP Press Portfolio.

The media patron of the AI Forum will be Ringier Axel Springer Polska.

The letter of intent was signed by Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, representatives of the authorities of the largest Polish universities: Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw; Prof. Jerzy Lis, Rector of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow; Prof. Teofil Jesionowski, Rector of Poznan University of Technology; Representative of Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Prof. Kamil Staniec, Vice-Rector for Education at Wrocław University of Science and Technology; and prof. Paweł Pławiak, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Telecommunications at Cracow University of Technology, as well as Zygmunt Berdychowski, Chairman of the Program Council of the Economic Forum.

The agreement aims to establish cooperation among partners for the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence Forum (AI Forum), which will take place from September 3-5, 2024, as part of the 33rd Economic Forum in Karpacz. It will be one of the largest AI events in Poland, bringing together prominent experts, practitioners, representatives of leading companies, and scientists in the field.

The AI Forum will feature a dedicated thematic track consisting of panels, presentations, workshops, and special events. Key issues regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the societal revolution and in both public and commercial service sectors will be addressed. The discussion will focus on the challenges the market will face due to fundamental technological changes using artificial intelligence. Forum participants will consider the extent to which investments in scientific research and modern AI technologies in various areas of life will enable the European Union to regain competitiveness with global economies and ensure security.

"This agreement seeks answers about modern Poland. If we want to catch up with the world, and my dream is for Poland to become a leader in digitalization in Europe, we need such initiatives. The AI Forum aligns with my vision for the country's development. In the long term, I want to lead a digital revolution. What I lack is encouraging graduates to serve in public administration. Let's try to create a good climate for public administration, let's build a sense of fulfilment in the Civil Service. We need to focus on cooperation, not competition – cooperation between science, business, and the state," said Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Affairs.

Rektor Politechniki Krakowskiej prof. dr hab. inż. Andrzej Szarata, zapewnia, że jego uczelnia obecna jest wszędzie tam, gdzie dyskutuje się o ważnych sprawach i – jak mówi - dlatego naszych ekspertów nie może zabraknąć podczas XXXIII Forum Ekonomicznego w Karpaczu. Politechnika Krakowska  intensywnie angażuje się w tę inicjatywę, m.in. kreuje panele w obszarze zrównoważonego rozwoju.

Rector of the Krakow University of Technology prof. Ph.D. engineer Andrzej Szarata, assures that his university is present wherever important issues are discussed and - as he says - that is why our experts cannot be missing during the XXXIII Economic Forum in Karpacz. The Krakow University of Technology is intensively involved in this initiative, including: creates panels in the area of sustainable development.

“We believe that our university zone and the issues presented there will enjoy great interest during the September Forum. It is worth noting that the organizers - understanding the importance of the development of artificial intelligence and its impact on the economy and other areas of life - decided to expand the program to include the Artificial Intelligence Forum. The Krakow University of Technology is the patron of this project, and our academic staff are actively involved in its organization and appropriate substantive level. I hope that initiating a discussion on AI as part of such a large event as the Economic Forum will constitute a significant contribution to the proper development of this field," said the Rector of the Krakow University of Technology, Prof. Ph.D. engineer Andrzej Szarata.

"Artificial intelligence is treated very seriously at the AGH University of Science and Technology," assured the university's rector, prof. Jerzy Lis. "As part of the work, among others: Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence, a research and teaching unit, we conduct scientific, development and implementation research as well as educational activities and activities promoting science and education in the field of artificial intelligence. We hope that the expert knowledge of our staff will contribute to the development of the AI Forum and thus the entire Economic Forum in Karpacz will be enriched with topics that are crucial in technology-driven times," emphasized Prof. Jerzy Lis, Rector of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków.

"The Poznan University of Technology is a leading educational and scientific centre in the field of AI," said the university's rector, prof. Teofil Jesionowski - Today, standards in this area should be set so that in the future Poland will not only be the beneficiary of this technology but also create it using enormous human potential. It is therefore necessary to invest in the development of specialists and infrastructure, including quantum infrastructure," noted Prof. Teofil Jesionowski, Rector of the Poznan University of Technology. In his opinion, the Forum in Karpacz will be an excellent platform for exchanging views and should undoubtedly contribute to identifying the strategic pillars of AI development in the short and long term.

"It is worth mentioning," said prof. Jesionowski - that the Interdisciplinary Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity established at the Poznan University of Technology as well as capacity building in the area of quantum technologies are examples of initiatives for broadly understood cooperation and building a modern knowledge-based economy.

“We live in times when artificial intelligence is already a permanent part of our everyday life, and its importance will continue to grow. At Wrocław University of Science and Technology, we prioritize the advancement of research and education in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Our focus is not only on preparing specialists in these fields, but also on fostering extensive collaboration with the community as part of the "Technologies in Public Security" macrocluster. Searching for new solutions requires intensifying research and development activities, which is why we are very pleased with the next initiative of cooperation and discussion that we will be able to undertake at the September AI Forum," said prof. Kamil Staniec, Vice-Rector for Education of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

“Science must not only follow but even anticipate the needs of the modern economy and civilization development. Modern universities must have connections with business and new technologies. We want to educate future entrepreneurs, innovators and market creators. The Artificial Intelligence Forum (AI Forum) in Karpacz supports these activities. It is here that we will exchange experiences, determine needs and define common goals, and thus build a competitive economy and international security. Our students and graduates have enormous potential," said the rector of the University of Warsaw, prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak.

“The organization of the AI Forum during the upcoming Economic Forum in Karpacz is an event of extraordinary importance. In the era of dynamic development of artificial intelligence, such a forum is an essential platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices between scientists, entrepreneurs and decision-makers," emphasized UW Chancellor Robert Gray.

“The Economic Forum in Karpacz is the largest dialogue platform in Central and Eastern Europe, where we not only discuss security, economic development prospects, contemporary challenges and overcoming crises but also present specific solutions and innovative ideas. The forum covers topics related to new technologies, digitalization, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It has been bringing together political, economic and social leaders from all over the world for over 30 years.” - said Zygmunt Berdychowski, Chairman of the Program Council of the Economic Forum.

The next, thirty-third edition of the Economic Forum will be held on September 3-5, 2024 at the Golebiewski Hotel in Karpacz under the slogan: "Time for new leaders: shaping the future together."

The main partner of the Economic Forum in Karpacz is the Marshal's Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

Source: Economic Forum

photo: Institute of Eastern Studies