MUNICH – Facebook pledges €6.5 million to bolster the Technical University of Munich‘s (TUM) research efforts into the ethical dimensions of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The collaboration, announced during the “Digital-Life Design” conference in Munich, underscores Facebook’s commitment to fostering responsible AI development. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s COO, affirmed the company’s support for TUM’s groundbreaking initiative, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations in AI advancement, according to a press release published on EuropaWire.
TUM’s Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS) stands at the forefront of value-based technological research, epitomized by the newly established Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence. Led by Prof. Christoph Lütge, the Institute aims to provide ethical guidelines for AI’s societal, industrial, and legislative implications. Prof. Lütge’s expertise, highlighted by his recent appointments to the Ethics Commission of the Federal Government on Autonomous Driving and the European Expert Commission “AI4 People,” underscores the Institute’s formidable potential.
Vice-President Prof. Thomas Hofmann emphasizes the critical role of ethical oversight in driving responsible innovation. TUM’s strategic focus on “Human-Centered Engineering” underscores its commitment to integrating humanities and social sciences into AI research and education. The Institute’s interdisciplinary approach, spanning philosophy, ethics, sociology, and political science, underscores its comprehensive scope.
Joaquin Quiñonero Candela, Director of Facebook AI, lauds TUM’s initiative, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing complex ethical challenges posed by AI. Facebook’s support for the TUM Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence reflects its commitment to fostering ethical research and advancing responsible AI practices.
The partnership between Facebook and TUM heralds a new chapter in ethical AI research, paving the way for responsible AI innovation with societal impact at its core.
