European Association for AI

The European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI), formerly known as the European Co-ordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence (ECCAI), represents the European AI community. Established in 1982, the organisation's founding president was Wolfgang Bibel. EurAI's primary goal is to promote the study, research, and application of artificial intelligence (AI) across Europe. It also aims to encourage the development of a European computer network and supports the teaching of AI.

One of EurAI's main activities is organising the biennial European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI) in collaboration with its member societies. This conference is a leading AI event in Europe, attracting researchers, students, and industry professionals. Past ECAI conferences have been held in various European cities, and future ones are scheduled in Santiago de Compostela (2024), Bologna (2025), Bremen (2026), and Athens (2027). EurAI also offers the Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award, given annually since 1998 to recognise outstanding PhD dissertations in AI.

EurAI established a Fellows programme in 1999 to recognise individuals who have made significant contributions to AI in Europe. The programme honours up to 3% of members of EurAI member societies. The association is governed by a board, elected every two years, with board members eligible for re-election twice. The current board includes various professionals from the AI field across Europe.

The association also promotes education through initiatives such as the European Summer School on Artificial Intelligence (ESSAI) and the Advanced Course on Artificial Intelligence (ACAI). These events bring together students and young researchers to discuss AI developments and share knowledge.

EurAI sponsors conferences and educational programmes, offering support to international AI conferences and activities. The organisation also provides travel grants and fellowships for students to attend AI events. Additionally, EurAI presents the Distinguished Service Award annually to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the European AI community.

EurAI membership is composed of national scientific AI societies from European countries. These societies must have at least 25 active members working in the field of AI. Individual members cannot directly join EurAI but can participate through their national AI societies. EurAI actively supports various projects and initiatives to strengthen AI research and education across Europe.

The European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI), initially named the European Co-ordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence (ECCAI), was founded in 1982. The organisation was established to serve as a representative body for the European AI community. Wolfgang Bibel was the founding president, and the primary objective of the organisation was to promote the study, research, and practical application of artificial intelligence (AI) across Europe.

In its early years, EurAI focused on creating a platform to unify AI researchers, professionals, and educators in Europe. One of its significant achievements was the launch of the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI). The first ECAI was held in Orsay, near Paris, in 1982. Over time, the ECAI conference became one of the most important AI events in Europe, bringing together professionals, researchers, and academics from the AI field. ECAI is held biennially, with the conference rotating between different European cities.

In 1998, EurAI introduced the Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award to recognise the best doctoral theses in AI. The award aims to promote high-quality research in AI and has been awarded annually since its inception.

In 1999, EurAI introduced its Fellows programme. The Fellows programme was designed to recognise individuals who made significant contributions to AI research and development in Europe. The programme honours up to 3% of the members from EurAI's member societies. This initiative played a significant role in promoting excellence and leadership in AI across the continent.

EurAI's governance structure is designed to ensure broad representation from across Europe. The organisation is governed by a board that is elected every two years by the EurAI General Assembly. Board members can serve two terms, with re-election allowed once. EurAI member societies are composed of national scientific AI organisations, each representing a country in Europe. These member societies must have at least 25 members working in AI to be eligible for membership. Individual members cannot directly join EurAI but can participate through their respective national AI societies.

In 2015, the association changed its name from ECCAI to the European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI) to reflect its evolving role and focus on AI. This change was approved during a General Assembly.

EurAI supports education and knowledge sharing through various initiatives. One of these initiatives is the European Summer School on Artificial Intelligence (ESSAI), which was launched in 2023. ESSAI is held in conjunction with the Advanced Course on Artificial Intelligence (ACAI), which has been running since 1993. These events provide students and young researchers with an opportunity to engage with leading AI experts and explore the latest research in the field.

EurAI also sponsors AI-related conferences and workshops across Europe, providing financial support for invited speakers and events that promote the study of AI. The association regularly sponsors major international AI conferences, enhancing collaboration and research in AI.

The ECAI conferences have continued to grow in prominence. Notably, in 2020, the ECAI conference initially planned to be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, was moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, it attracted over 5,000 attendees, making it a successful event. Santiago de Compostela was again chosen to host ECAI 2024 as a result of the success of the digital conference. ECAI 2024 will be held from October 19 to October 24, 2024.

In recent years, EurAI has also focused on the ethical aspects of AI, encouraging discussions on responsible AI and explainable AI. In 2023, EurAI sponsored the 2nd World Conference on eXplainable AI, contributing to the ongoing debate on the transparency of AI systems.

Looking forward, EurAI has announced the call for bids to host ECAI 2028, showing its continued commitment to supporting AI research, education, and collaboration. The latest status of the organisation reflects its sustained leadership in promoting AI development, research, and education across Europe, providing an inclusive platform for AI communities to collaborate and share knowledge.

The European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI) was established with clear goals and purposes aimed at advancing the field of AI across Europe. The key goals of EurAI are:

• Promote AI Research and Study: EurAI's main goal is to encourage the study and research of artificial intelligence throughout Europe. This includes supporting academic and practical developments in AI to ensure the field continues to grow and evolve.
• Support AI Education: EurAI works to promote the teaching of artificial intelligence by encouraging universities and educational institutions to offer AI courses. This also includes organising summer schools like the European Summer School on AI (ESSAI) to help students and researchers enhance their understanding of AI.
• Facilitate Collaboration: EurAI creates platforms for collaboration between AI researchers, professionals, and educators. The biennial European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI) serves as one such platform, allowing AI experts from different countries to come together and share their knowledge.
• Recognition of Contributions: EurAI recognises outstanding contributions to the field of AI through its Fellowship programme and the Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award. These initiatives aim to highlight and reward individuals who have made a significant impact on AI in Europe.
• Encourage AI Networking: Another purpose of EurAI is to help build a strong European AI network. It aims to connect researchers, educators, and organisations to ensure better cooperation and communication within the AI community.
• Ethical AI Development: EurAI encourages responsible AI development, supporting discussions on the ethical use of AI and transparency. It sponsors events like the World Conference on eXplainable AI to explore the importance of AI systems being transparent and accountable.

The European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI) has had a significant impact on the development and promotion of AI in Europe since its founding in 1982. By supporting AI research, EurAI has helped advance the field through the organisation of the biennial European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI), which brings together AI professionals, researchers, and students to share their work and ideas.

EurAI’s initiatives, such as the Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award and the Fellowship programme, have also played a key role in recognising and encouraging outstanding contributions to AI research. These awards highlight the achievements of individuals and promote high-quality work in the field.

Through its educational efforts, including the European Summer School on AI (ESSAI) and the Advanced Course on AI (ACAI), EurAI has contributed to the training and development of future AI researchers and professionals, creating a strong foundation for the growth of AI in Europe.

Additionally, EurAI’s sponsorship of conferences and workshops, as well as its involvement in ethical AI discussions, has fostered collaboration and responsible AI development across Europe. Overall, EurAI’s impact lies in its ability to bring together the AI community, encourage excellence, and promote the responsible advancement of AI technologies