The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) traces decades back, from an idea conceptualization in the halls of academia to its use in real-world scenarios. In this ever-evolving technological landscape, transformative influence of artificial intelligence across various sectors has a profound and disruptive impact on us. As we make new learnings every day the evolution and revolution of AI seems like an ongoing process, marked by continuous innovation and exploration.
Discover how the Project CENTRIC embeds sustainablility in AI-native Air-Interface and designs systems for 6G networks, revolutionizing wireless communication through user-centricity.
Continue readingDear readers,
The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) traces decades back, from an idea conceptualization in the halls of academia to its use in real-world scenarios. In this ever-evolving technological landscape, transformative influence of artificial intelligence across various sectors has a profound and disruptive impact on us. As we make new learnings every day the evolution and revolution of AI seems like an ongoing process, marked by continuous innovation and exploration.
Eurescom embraces more than three decades of experience in managing multinational collaborative R&D projects, programmes, and initiatives in the ICT sector. It recognises the need for aligning technology development with a value-based consideration and prioritization of different economic and social outcomes in the development of 6G networks, in the context of EU research funding frameworks. Hence, in the first article of the cover theme, we attempt to present “The Role of AI/ML in Key Value Indicator Analysis” and propose a value-driven AI technology development which is one of the important drivers in the development of innovative 6G technology.
This issue is a innovative collection of inside view of selected EU research activities from the plethora of projects that present the diverse R&D activities taking place at Eurescom. The article from the project PAROMA-MED presents how researchers are pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities, tackling new challenges, to “Empowering Collaborative Intelligence: The Federated learning approach” and promise advancements in health applications.
As we stand at the vertex of a new era, we recognize not only the revolutionary potential of AI but also its evolutionary journey; the project CENTRIC contributes to “AI Techniques for the 6G AI-AI” and develops a sustainable AI-native Air-Interface for 6G networks and utilizes advances in machine learning (ML) to enable the development and discovery of efficient waveforms, custom modulations, and transceivers for the physical layer as well as customized lightweight communication protocol and sustainable radio resource management.
Whilst the AI – Telecommunications landscape explores new dimensions, in the article “AI/ML in Telecommunications Networks” authors delve into the multifaceted role of AI/ML in shaping the future of telecommunication networks, and provide recommendations concerning the future availability of large data sets, which are necessary for training and benchmarking algorithms.
As AI continues to evolve, our approach towards its development and deployment, the “Innovations using AI/ML in project 6G-BRAINS”, attempt for seamless and efficient wireless connectivity. Presented are innovative approaches to network resource management and spectrum utilization using cutting-edge AI technologies.
The edition includes a very interesting and retrospective article – the KENNEDY Perspective on “AI or not AI”. Will AI help us to succeed? How will AI help me in real life? as there is a juggle on whether to trust these systems and to what extent!
This issue further covers a variety of articles on different, ICT-related activities. Under “Events”, we report about participation of Eurescom projects at MWC Barcelona 2024, the world’s largest telecoms event where technology, community and commerce converge. In our “News in brief” section, we update about what’s new at Eurescom – a short overview on the newly started projects.
Finally, in the latest “A bit beyond” we engage in crucial AI act that is recently passed in the European Parliament and it awaits reading in the EU Council.
Together with my editorial colleagues I believe that you will find value in this edition of Eurescom’s message, and we would appreciate your comments on the current issue as well as suggestions for future issues.
Enjoy reading our magazine!
Pooja Mohnani
Editor-in-chief
AI is the ability of a machine to display human-like capabilities such as reasoning, learning, planning and creativity [1]. It enables systems to perceive their environment, solve problems and act to achieve a specific goal. These systems gather data – through attached sensors, process this data and respond. They are capable of optimizing and thus adapting their behaviour by learning and work autonomously.
Whilst some AI technologies have been around for more than 50 years, recent advances in computing power, with availability of enormous amount of data and new algorithms, have led to major AI breakthroughs in recent years.
Artificial intelligence is already present, influences our everyday life and is digitally transforming our society and thus has become an EU priority.
To prepare Europe for an advanced digital age, the AI ACT provides a comprehensive legal framework on AI, which addresses the risks of AI within Europe and sets the tone for upcoming AI regulations worldwide. The AI Act aims to provide AI developers and deployers with clear requirements and obligations regarding specific uses of AI [2].
The AI Act aims to “strengthen Europe’s position as a global hub of excellence in AI from the lab to the market, ensuring that AI in Europe respects set values and rules, and harnesses the potential of AI for industrial use.”
— European Parliament News
To make sure that AI systems used in EU are safe, transparent, traceable, unbiased, trustworthy and environmentally friendly. AI systems should be overseen by people, rather than by automation, thus should foster inclusiveness.
The AI Act fosters the development of trustworthy AI in Europe, which also includes the Innovation Package and the Coordinated Plan on AI [3] . Together, these measures assure the health, safety and fundamental rights of people, and providing legal certainty to businesses across Europe. Overall, these initiatives would strengthen EU’s AI talent pool through education, training, skilling and reskilling activities.
Whilst the existing legislation provides protection, however it is insufficient to address AI system specific challenges, the proposed rules will be able to:
This legal framework is applicable to both public and private actors inside and outside the EU as long as the AI system affects people located in the EU [4].
It is a cause of concern for both the developer of such system as well as the deployers of AI systems (high-risk). Importers of AI systems must also ensure that the provider (foreign) carries out appropriate conformity assessment procedure, bears a European Conformity (CE) marking and is accompanied by required documentation and instructions of use.
In addition, certain obligations are foreseen for providers of general-purpose AI models, including large generative AI models. Providers of free and open-source models are exempted from most of these obligations; however, the exemption does not cover obligations for providers of general-purpose AI models with systemic risks.
Research, development and prototyping activities preceding the release in the market are exempted and the regulation furthermore does not apply to AI systems that are exclusively for military, defence or for national security purposes, regardless of the type of entity carrying out those activities [4].
AI systems that do not respect the requirements of the Regulation, would attract penalties, including administrative fines, in relation to infringements and communicate them to the Commission [4].
The Regulation sets out thresholds that needs to be taken into account:
To conclude, the AI Act for the ICT industry aims to foster innovation while ensuring that the developed AI technologies are deployed responsibly, ethically, and in the best interests of society. It would provide assurance to its users and guidance for stakeholders, overall contributing to the sustainable growth and adoption of AI technologies.
Further information[2] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai
[3] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_383
[4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_1683
In the early days of the internet our expectations were limited – even Tim Berners-Lee considered his invention of the World Wide Web as just something “to allow information sharing within internationally dispersed teams, and the dissemination of information by support groups”. Since the international fear of COVID-19 has taken effect, we expect the internet to be the saving grace for humanity. In fact our dependency on our online connectivity is such that in 2016 the UN declared, in a non-binding resolution, that “the same rights people have offline must also be protected online”. But now that we really need it, are we ready to move our lives online?
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