Artificial intelligence: shaping progress safely – AI Quality & Safety Summit in Frankfurt

(Frankfurt a. M., 22.10.2024) In August, the AI Act came into force as the world's first comprehensive set of rules for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). A milestone in the regulation of AI. At a time when innovation and technological progress are developing at an unprecedented rate, the AI Quality & Safety Summit, part of the German government's Digital Summit, brings together international experts to discuss how to improve the quality and safety of AI systems. The AI Quality & Testing Hub (AIQ) is once again providing a platform for a European debate on AI quality that aims to offer guidance and critically examine future perspectives.

“Society can benefit immensely from the advantages of artificial intelligence – if the right safety standards are set,” emphasizes Dr. Michael Rammensee, Managing Director of AIQ. “The goal must be to offer users trustworthy access to intelligent applications.” The AIQ is an initiative of the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies and the State of Hesse to promote the quality of AI systems and make it verifiable.

Safety as the key challenge

At the AI Quality & Safety Summit, around 150 international stakeholders from business, science, politics, administration and society will discuss in exciting keynote speeches and panel discussions how technological innovations and the development and use of AI can be advanced while at the same time preserving values, creating transparency and setting regulatory standards.

This is important because often even the training data for AI seems like a black box. Where does the data come from? Do they enable non-discriminatory application? Is data protection guaranteed? During the summit, the experts will discuss, among other things, standards for the regulation of AI and the importance of a framework for data quality that includes technical, legal, ethical and social aspects. They will also talk about the need for a joint European research organization for AI and how the pioneering role of German companies in international competition could be strengthened by adhering to voluntary AI quality standards.

Dr. Beate Mand, Deputy Chair of the VDE Executive Board: “AI is penetrating our lives at a speed and depth that offers us great opportunities on the one hand, but also presents us with enormous challenges on the other. The task of making AI responsible, safe and at the same time future-oriented is one of the key challenges that we as a society must overcome. The VDE has made its mission to build a bridge between innovation and safety. As a neutral technology organization, it is contributing its expertise in developing standards and in testing and certification to the discourse in order to improve the safety and quality of AI systems and products.”

Hessen's Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus: “The responsible use of artificial intelligence is one of the central challenges of our time. With our future agenda 'AI made in Hessen', we are shaping AI for the benefit of people and, not least with the AI Quality & Testing Hub, we have developed a European flagship project for the safe and responsible use of AI applications in collaboration with the VDE. Together, we want to prepare companies for the European AI Regulation in the best possible way. After all, we can only fully exploit the potential of AI if we impart the necessary skills and create trust in its use.”

AIQ strengthens the quality of AI systems worldwide

Promoting the quality of AI systems and making it verifiable – that was the mission with which the AI Quality & Testing Hub GmbH was founded in December 2022. Since then, companies in the hub have had the opportunity to develop quality-assured AI systems, as well as to verify and improve properties. For example, the AIQ supports them in getting applications based on Large Language Models (LLM) off the ground. “The quality of such AI-based applications must be ensured from the outset. That's why we at the AIQ provide the appropriate development and testing tools to ensure that new medical products based on LLM are designed safely,” explains Rammensee.

In 2023, both AIQ and VDE were appointed to a consortium that is developing a voluntary AI seal of quality as part of MISSION KI, launched by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport. This year, AIQ also became a member of the newly founded US AI Safety Institute Consortium. The aim is to work with international partners to reduce risks in AI development and improve the quality of AI systems.

How do you standardize artificial intelligence? Interview with VDE AI expert

How do we as a society want to shape artificial intelligence? This is a question that 140 experts from 24 countries, some with widely divergent interests, are currently working on intensively. The reason: together, they are developing standards for the AI Act on behalf of the EU-Commission. Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben is right in the middle of it all. The physicist heads the corresponding standardization committee in CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 (JTC stands for Joint Technical Committee) and is responsible for the field of digitalization and AI at the VDE. In the interview, he explains why standardization experts are not currently dealing with ethical questions around artificial intelligence, how it is ensured that technological developments are not hindered, and where AI will change our everyday lives: you can listen to the interview here (in german).
 

About VDE

VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years. 

Our passion is the advancement of technology, the next generation of engineers and technologists, and lifelong learning and career development “on the job”. Within the VDE network more than 2,000 employees at over 60 locations worldwide, more than 100,000 honorary experts, and around 1,500 companies are dedicated to ensuring a future worth living: networked, digital, electrical.  
Shaping the e-dialistic future. 

The VDE (VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. For more information, visit www.vde.com