Annual Zuse Schools Meeting in Darmstadt

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The annual meeting of the three German Zuse Schools - ELIZA, SECAI, and relAI - funded by DAAD in 2022, was hosted by ELIZA this October in the beautiful halls of Technische Universität Darmstadt. The meeting highlighted the Zuse School initiative´s success in attracting international AI talent and providing an exceptional, innovative education closely connected to the industry. Most importantly, it served as a wonderful "family gathering," reinforcing the strong ties that have developed among the three schools.


The program began with welcome addresses by Prof. Dr. Matthias Oechsner, Vice President for Research at TU Darmstadt, and Dr. Michael Harms, Deputy Secretary General of the DAAD, and was followed by intriguing keynote lectures from Prof. Dr. Markus Reichstein and Dr. Claudius Gläser, representing the academic and industry sectors, respectively. This was followed by many exciting presentations from our students showcasing their outstanding research results, including that of relAI PhD Student Valentine Idakwo. A panel discussion featured the participation of relAI Fellow Volker Tresp, and an interesting poster session encouraged interactions among members. The program was rounded off by an impressive, guided tour through robotics lab.

🙏Thank you, ELIZA, for the great organization of the event!

🙏 A heartfelt thanks to DAAD and BMFTR for supporting us! A great thanks also to our presidents, Matthias H. Tschöp and Thomas F. Hofmann, for their additional support and for creating such inspiring environments at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and Technische Universität München for our Zuse School relAI!  

relAI is proud to have supported the KI-Symposium 2025, which took place yesterday at the historic Große Aula of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. The event brought together researchers, students, and guests from academia, industry, and the public to celebrate the vibrant and diverse AI landscape at LMU, one of the two universities affiliated with relAI.

Throughout the evening the breadth, depth, and societal relevance of the research presented stood out. It's difficult to pick a single highlight from such a packed program. The event included forward-looking opening remarks by LMU Vice President for Digital Strategy, Prof. Dr. Julia Dittrich, and Dr. Christian Scharpf from the Landeshauptstadt München. Attendees enjoyed an insightful keynote by relAI Fellow Prof. Dr. Björn Ommer, an engaging panel on  LMU's AI strategy featuring Vice Presidents Prof. Dr. Julia Dittrich, Dr. Philipp Baaske, and relAI Fellow Prof. Dr. Jochen Kuhn, a demonstration of PathoPan by Aicendence as part of the AI Transfer, pitch talks by LMU’s newly appointed AI professors, and the presentations of the AI-HUB@LMU Prize.

We are excited to announce the upcoming relAI symposium, “Shaping Science, Industry, and Society: Responsible Transformation through Generative AI,” dedicated to the latest developments and future prospects in the field of reliable artificial intelligence. The event aims to promote exchange between science, politics, and industry.

📅 Date and Time: 24 November, 09:00 - 13:00 pm

📍 Location: Haus der Bayerischen Wirtschaft

Program highlights:

  • Welcoming remarks from high-ranking representatives from politics and science, including State Secretary Dr. Rolf-Dieter Jungk (BMFTR, virtual) and the presidents of our two universities, Prof. Thomas Hofmann (TUM) and Prof. Matthias Tschöp (LMU).
  • High-caliber panel discussion with:  Dr. Philipp Baaske (LMU, VP Entrepreneurship), Prof. Claudia Eckert (acatech, President), Anna Kopp (Microsoft Digital Germany, CIO/CDO), and Maria Sievert (inveox, Founder).

Agenda and Registration

The complete agenda and the link to register can be found at the event URL.

❗Tickets are available free of charge, but subject to availability. You will receive a confirmation if your registration was successful.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, the Women in Data Science (WiDS) Munich Conference gathered a vibrant community of researchers, professionals, and students for a day filled with engaging talks, insightful panels, and meaningful networking opportunities. Hosted by Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), the event celebrated the power of data science to drive social change and empower women in technology.

In line with relAI's commitment to promoting gender equality and diversity, its members supported the event in various ways. The conference was moderated by relAI PhD student Lisa Schmierer, and the keynote address was delivered by relAI Fellow Enkelejda Kasneci, who spoke about using AI to support socially disadvantaged children. Additionally, relAI PhD student Lisa Wimmer presented a talk on "The Need for Uncertainty in Machine Learning." Frauke Kreuter,  relAI Fellow and Ombudsperson as well as member of the Steering Committee, participated as a panelist in the discussion titled “When Evidence Meets Opposition: Navigating the New Normal.” Finally, relAI Coordinator Andrea Schafferhans shared insights on how to earn a PhD in an academic environment during the networking session.

👉 Visit these links for more information on the event, including the agenda and photos.

MDSI news

Women in Data Science I Munic

On October 23, 2025, relAI, the Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI), the Munich Center for Machine Learning (MCML), and the AI Hub@LMU organized the Munich Career Fair AI & Data Science 2025 at TranslaTUM.

The event brought together eleven industry partners and over 150 students across various educational stages, from bachelor’s to doctoral levels. Each partner presented an overview about their activities in AI and data science, highlighting associated career opportunities. Additionally, students had ample time and space for networking and personal interactions at the industry stands in the foyer of TranslaTUM.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, especially the industry partners, for showcasing potential career paths in AI and Data Science and contributing to the success of the fair. We look forward to seeing all of you at the next edition.

Don’t miss the upcoming  Munich AI Lecture featuring Prof. Yoshua Bengio from Université de Montréal.

As AI capabilities accelerate, a critical question emerges: can we ensure these systems remain aligned with human values? While advances in reasoning and planning bring us closer to broadly human-level intelligence, recent findings also reveal troubling behaviors such as deception, hacking, and resistance to shutdown.

In his Munich AI Lecture, Yoshua Bengio will explore these challenges and outline a safer path forward. He argues for the design of non-agentic yet trustworthy AIs — systems modeled after a selfless scientist, dedicated to understanding the world rather than pursuing their own goals. Such “Scientist AIs” could act as monitors, helping society manage more powerful agentic systems and reduce existential risks. Beyond technical solutions, Bengio calls for political coordination at national and international levels, treating transformative AI as a global public good essential for safeguarding democracy and stability.

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion, including panelists Andrea Martin (Chief Technology Officer, IBM), relAI Director Prof. Dr. Gitta Kutyniok, and Stephanie Jacobs (Head of Office, Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts), which will be moderated by Dr. Michael Klimke (CEO, BAIOSPHERE).

📍 Bavarian Academy of Sciences Alfons-Goppel-Str. 11 (Residenz) 80539 Munich

📅 23 October 2025  

🕡 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

About the Speaker

Yoshua Bengio is Full Professor at Université de Montréal, Founder and Scientific Advisor of Mila, Co-President and Scientific Director of LawZero, and Canada CIFAR AI Chair. A recipient of the 2018 A.M. Turing Award — often called the “Nobel Prize of computing” — he is the most cited computer scientist worldwide and among the most cited living scientists across all fields. Bengio is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and Canada, an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Knight of the French Legion of Honor, and currently chairs the International AI Safety Report.

Registration

The event is already fully booked. If you would like to get put on the waiting list, please send  a message: events@baiosphere.org

The lecture will also be available via LIVESTREAM on YouTube (no registration needed).

More information:

https://baiosphere.org/en/events/2025/munich-ai-lecture-prof-yoshua-bengio

https://www.lmu.de/ai-hub/en/news-events/all-events/event/munich-ai-lecture-prof.-yoshua-bengio.html

We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to our new relAI members!

relAI welcomed its fourth cohort of PhD and MSc students on October 8, 2025. In the morning, the new cohort was greeted by the relAI Directors and the Management Team at the Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI), who introduced them to the school through informative presentations.

After a joint lunch, the program continued with a networking session moderated by relAI student representatives Nil Ayday and  Marius Müller, aimed at fostering connections among the students.

The day culminated in a delightful dinner, set in a charming atmosphere, where numerous relAI fellows had the opportunity to engage with the students. This gathering offered invaluable chances to establish mentoring relationships that will support the students throughout their journey with relAI.

Last weekend, relAI engaged with children during the TUM Open Doors with the Mouse 2025 event at the Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI). Students from relAI - Manuel Hülskamp, Natascha Niessen, Lisa Schmierer, and Richard Schwank - enthusiastically participated, using computer games to explain concepts of machine learning and artificial intelligence to the young attendees. The children learned how to train an AI model to differentiate between apples, pears, bananas, and plums, and they even had the opportunity to recognize their own faces, testing this feature with their siblings and other visitors.

A heartfelt thank you to the relAI students and coordinator Andrea Schafferhans for their support of the event, as well as to the families who participated.

Check the MDSI news for extensive information about the event.

Registration for the Munich Career Fair AI & Data Science 2025 is now open! You can request your ticket here.

📅 Date and Time: October 23, 2025, 2 to 5 pm

📍 Location: TranslaTUM at Klinikum rechts der Isar, Einsteinstraße 25 (Bau 522), 81675 Munich

🏢Participating companies: Celonis, DENSO, Diehl, GE Healthcare, Google, Imfusion, Munich Re, QuantCo, SAP, Thyssenkrupp, and Zeiss

👉 Check out this link for more information and the agenda

Don’t miss the upcoming  Munich AI Lecture featuring Prof. Aaron M. Johnson fromCarnegie Mellon University and Visiting Professor at TUM.

What happens when robots leave the lab and enter the real world? Suddenly, uncertainty is everywhere — slippery mud, bending branches, unpredictable terrain. These challenges are especially tough when it comes to contact: one moment a robot applies massive force, the next it has no grip at all.

In his talk, Aaron M. Johnson shows how robots can learn to master the unknown — from off-road driving in new environments to agile walking through vegetation. Expect cutting-edge insights into how uncertainty can be modeled, reduced, and even turned into an advantage for the future of robotics.

📍 Georg-Brauchle-Ring 58, Room M001
The TUM Room finder will help you find the way

More information: