Akkodis and GFA foster European collaboration on human-centered AI

Berlin, June 28, 2023 – Akkodis, a global Smart Industry leader, together with the German-French Academy for the Industry of the Future (GFA), is driving European collaboration in the field of cuttingedge AI technology. In this year's “Industry of the Future Workshop,” held in Berlin on June 27, 2023, the role of human feedback in the development and application of artificial intelligence took centerstage. In this third in a series of interdisciplinary workshops, the experts addressed the essential question of how bilateral communication between human and machine can be enabled. Scientists and industry experts also developed approaches for human-centric AI solutions.

The Industry of the Future Workshop was comprised of researchers, decision makers and industry experts, such as members of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Institut Mines-Télécom(IMT), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Airbus Defense and Space. Participants discussed the concrete implementation and challenges of bilateral communication between human and machine in the fields of mobility & multimodality, manufacturing, autonomous systems, education, emissions reduction and the future of work. Originally launched in 2021 in a German-French exchange format, Akkodis and GFA have now developed a European platform for scientific and industrial collaboration.

 

Image 1: Panel discussion on the topic of Human-Centered AI with Dr. Jürgen Großmann (Fraunhofer), Dr. Daniel Dreyer (Airbus Defence and Space) and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rigoll (TUM).Copyright: Akkodis

Artificial intelligence can contribute significantly to increasing the performance and resilience of the economy and society. However, crucial to the development of beneficial and responsible AI is the consideration of humans as central stakeholders. One innovative approach to optimizing AI is an augmented feedback loop, where humans are actively involved in the machine's learning and adaptation process. In the context of "human-based reinforced learning," humans are the "input provider" and continuously optimize the quality of the AI through their constant interactions. The extended feedback loop thus enables the development of trustworthy, human-centered AI solutions, which in turn provide humans with more precise and reliable results. This approach supports the AI Act, the first regulation of artificial intelligence in the EU, which calls for a “safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory AI.”

Dr. Peter Mehrle, SVP Germany at Akkodis, explains: "The future of AI must involve collaboration between human and machine. The topic of ‘human-centrered AI’ will be a defining theme in the long term.” He continued: “As a global leader in Smart Industry, our tech experts at Akkodis are at the forefront of AI innovation. In a current project, for example, we are investigating the ability for AI to learn complex mechanical tasks through ongoing human correction. We are pleased to have strengthened European collaboration on human-centric AI and gained new insights at this year's Industry of the Future Workshop."

Dr. Cosima Teschemacher, Head of Industry Relations GFA, adds in addition: "Artificial intelligence is not only a technologically highly relevant topic, but also has numerous implications for the role of humans in the world of work. The Industry of the Future Workshop has been fully successful this year: through the exchange of ideas from a wide range of disciplines composed group of experts, innovative and practicable solutions have been developed. This is exactly why the exchange between science and industry is so crucial.”

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rigoll, Professor for Human-Machine Communications at TU Munich, says on the workshop: "A 'Human-Centered AI' is an artificial intelligence in which the usefulness and advantage of its use should benefit the user as best as possible. This can include various aspects, for example that the user can understand the decisions of the system, that the use is safe and reliable, or that the system enables communication with humans to be as user-friendly as possible. Multimodal user interfaces will make the use even more intuitive and efficient in the future, while their development will again be made possible by advanced machine learning methods.”

Dr. Daniel Dreyer, Senior Human Factors Engineer, Airbus Defence and Space, says: "As much as the use of artificial intelligence is intended to make decisions and, consequently, life in all areas easier for us, the focus must still be on the human. This was also reflected in the discussions at the third GermanFrench Industry of the Future Workshop.”

 

Image 2: Panel discussion on the topic of Human-Centered AI with Anne Friedrich (Akkodis), Prof. Hazem Wannous (IMT Lille Douai), Dr. Arne Raulf (DLR), Dr. Mehdi Mounsif (Akkodis). Copyright: Akkodis

Dr. Arne Raulf, Head of Algorithms & Hybrid Solutions Departement at DLR AI Safety and Security Institute, explains: “Today, the term 'Human-Centered AI' stands for a multitude of possible processes and algorithms from different areas of research and application. From a scientific perspective, we are currently seeing a significant change: Both our own research and work at other institutions are currently dealing with the embedding of large language models. In this regard, issues related to security, robustness and protection of the relevant data will always play a role.”

 

Image 3: Keynote of Dr. Mehdi Mounsif (Akkodis). Copyright: Akkodis

The German-French Academy for the Industry of the Future is a strategic instrument for promoting close cooperation between leading European research institutions and industrial companies. It was founded by the France’s Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany. Focusing on joint research, education and innovation, the role of the Academy is to meet the challenges presented by the increasing digitalization of industrial processes.

Akkodis, part of the Adecco Group, the world’s leading talent and tech company, encourages experts from all disciplines to collaborate and learn from each other, developing new skills, and creating new ideas that can make an impact for a smarter and more sustainable tomorrow. The partnership with GFA is part of this existing innovation network that supports this goal.

About Akkodis

Akkodis is a global digital engineering company and Smart Industry leader. We enable clients to advance in their digital transformation with Consulting, Solutions, Talent, and Academy services. Headquartered in Switzerland and part of the Adecco Group, Akkodis is a trusted tech partner to the world’s industries. We co-create and pioneer solutions that help to solve major challenges, from accelerating the clean energy transition and green mobility, to improving user and patient centricity. Empowered by a culture of inclusion and diversity, our 50,000 tech experts across 30 countries combine best-in-class technologies and cross industry knowledge to drive purposeful innovation for a more sustainable tomorrow. We are passionate about Engineering a Smarter Future Together. akkodis.com | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

About the Adecco Group

The Adecco Group is the world’s leading talent company. Our purpose is making the future work for everyone. Through our three global business units - Adecco, Akkodis and LHH - across 60 countries, we enable sustainable and lifelong employability for individuals, deliver digital and engineering solutions to power the Smart Industry transformation and empower organizations to optimize their workforces. The Adecco Group leads by example and is committed to an inclusive culture, fostering sustainable employability, and supporting resilient economies and communities. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN).

https://www.adeccogroup.com/

 

Contact

Lisa Bushka
VP External Communications, Akkodis
M. +18604630770
E. lisa.bushka@adeccogroup.com

Anne Friedrich
VP Marketing & Communications Germany, Akkodis
M. +4915174633470
E. anne.friedrich@akkodis.com