The first AI Day at Leibniz Universität Hannover was a great success, attracting two hundred AI researchers and enthusiasts, including L3S directors and members Wolfgang Nejdl, B. Rosenhahn, Marius Lindauer, Holger Blume, Claudia Niederée, Stefanie Büchner, and Johannes Winter. Co-initiated by the LUH-AI Institute and the L3S Research Center, the event showcased L3S’s applied research and innovation projects, including DAISEC – European Digital Innovation Hub for AI and Cybersecurity, CAIMed – Lower Saxony Center for AI and Causal Methods in Medicine, ReGap – AI-based Energy Reduction in Industrial Production, and many others. The strong response saw many attendees gathering information at the project stands.
With over 60 poster presentations from various AI projects, the event highlighted opportunities, challenges, and responsible solutions for AI in research and practice. It was fascinating to see the development of AI projects at L3S and LUH.
A keynote by Alexander-von-Humboldt Professor Holger Hoos addressed the tremendous leaps in software innovation over the past 30 years, noting a 6,282,119-fold acceleration in 16 years, surpassing even Moore’s Law. Hoos emphasized that our biggest global issue is not strong AI getting out of control, but the misuse of weak AI.
The AI Day also offered space for dialogue and networking, with discussions underscoring the need for increased investment in national and EU-level in-house research, rather than relying on external technology providers like ChatGPT. There was a clear desire for a “CERN for AI,” a joint European research organization with substantial public investment in AI infrastructure and advanced research, focusing on the big picture rather than many small projects.
This event was just the beginning. The L3S looks forward to more AI Days at Leibniz University Hannover.
