GATE Institute gathers scientists and researchers from all over the world at the forum “Up to GATE. Technology, Big Data & Beyond. 5 Years of Innovation”, from November 20 to 24, 2024, hosted by Georgi Nenov. The potential of data spaces to create value in the data economy, data as a key to making informed decisions in the cities of the future and a valuable resource for creating new business models and services, the role of AI in detecting and combating disinformation, the rise of media literacy and the promotion of a safer online environment, European regulations for the responsible and ethical use of AI and the development of innovation – these are the topics of focus on the first day of the conference.

Through thematic masterclasses and workshops related to solving real cases, GATE researchers will present in depth the practical applications of big data science and AI in the various directions of the institute – Future Cities, Digital Health, Intelligent Government, Smart Industry. Attendees will get an up-close and detailed look at the capabilities of GATE’s innovative labs and the services they offer to scientists and industry.

The first master class dedicated to AI regulations will be part of the forum program. In it, experts from GATE (part of the Working Group on the creation of the first General Purpose Artificial Intelligence Code of Conduct at the initiative of the European AI Office) will provide answers on how to adapt our business to the new requirements for responsible and ethical use of AI in accordance with the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

The seminar “Intelligent government & disinformation – tools, resources, and trends in elections ” consists of three parts dedicated to three specific and strategic research areas for GATE Institute and the Bulgarian-Romanian Observatory for Digital Media (BROD). These are the specific language resources and tools for detecting disinformation, trends in disinformation and the 2024 election, and how the Code of Conduct on Disinformation applies.

The integration of large-scale language models (LLM), natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence in the development of automated tools to identify false or misleading information will be considered. As misinformation continues to proliferate across platforms, especially social media, the need for effective detection mechanisms becomes increasingly important. In this regard, methods and technologies that can be used to combat disinformation, especially in the context of the Bulgarian language, will be examined.

By promoting dialogue and sharing good practices, the workshop aims to improve understanding of the dynamics of disinformation, promote accountability in online platforms and ensure that local policies are in line with EU standards to effectively combat the spread of false information.

The Master Class “Fighting Disinformation in the Digital Age” in partnership with the Media Literacy Coalition is aimed at media professionals, journalists, content creators and consumers. It will look at ways to identify and manage misinformation using AI and digital tools.

The workshop “Digital Health: diagnostic & prognostic algorithms, data, platforms, and tools ” will present concrete examples of the use of technology and data in medicine and healthcare. The focus will be on multidisciplinary and multinational research and innovation in the field of digital health in the EU. GATE researchers will present the results of the pilot study on early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease within the framework of the VELES project.

The researchers will also talk about their registered patent for a method and system for monitoring patients through video surveillance, which is used to facilitate and improve the medical care of people suffering from epilepsy. The invention may provide effective means of early detection, warning and prevention of complications arising from epileptic seizures.

Urban digital twins as powerful tools to achieve sustainable urban development will be addressed in two workshops dedicated to Smart Cities. The first will focus attention on technologies, tools and platforms for the development of urban digital twins. Participants will learn how urban data from various sources is structured, integrated, analyzed and visualized to describe and predict city behavior to support informed decision making for sustainable cities and smart communities.

The second workshop will detail real-world examples of the use of urban digital twins inspired by rapid urbanization, climate change and resource management. Both workshops are aimed at urbanists, architects, data specialists and technology enthusiasts, united by a common goal – to contribute to overcoming the challenges facing the cities of the future through the use of technology and data.

As part of the 5 day forum, from November 22 to 24, GATE will also host the second edition of the AEC Hackathon (Architecture, Engineering and Construction Hackathon) in our country – the world’s largest platform for open innovation in urban environment. It will promote the relationship between information technology and companies working in architecture, construction, mobility and urban planning. During the event, participants will collaborate, communicate with experts from different fields, work in multidisciplinary teams, gain practical experience with innovative tools, and the final expected result is solving specific cases related to the development of the urban environment.