Adra: “We really are on the cusp of a significant revolution for humanity”

The Association for AI, Data and Robotics (Adra) is the private arm of the European partnership for AI, Data and Robotics (ADR) under Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation initiative. Founded by the European data science and industrial AI and robotics communities, the association believes that innovation over the next 20 years will result from the pooling of expertise from these different disciplines. The European Commission has pledged to invest €1.3 billion over the course of the programme, leveraging at least an equal investment of €1.3 billion from industry, and encouraging member states to increase their levels of scientific spending by 50% over the 2021-2027 period. In addition, Adra seeks to identify commercial applications at the intersection of ADR technologies.

HQ spoke to Philip Piatkiewicz, Secretary General of the association, about the intersection of these issues with the meetings sector.

How can these technological solutions enable Europe’s sustainable development and strategic autonomy in its various key sectors and flagship industries?

ADR has a transversal and almost universal relevance for our society. Over the next two decades, Europe will have to deal simultaneously with climate change, a demographic shift, a reduced career ratio and lower productivity, urbanisation and global competition from China and the US. And that’s not even counting the impact of events such as the war in Ukraine and COVID-19. From renewable energy technologies to unlocking the circular economy and autonomous vehicles, Adra has enormous potential to improve people’s lives and significantly accelerate efforts to achieve the SDGs and combat climate change. At the moment, adoption is progressing, Europe is a leader in the field of industrial robotics and has excellent AI researchers. Still, there is an urgent need to increase investment in ADR to ensure that the continent is able to capitalise on the market opportunity and that the technology developed also enshrines core European values. Europe’s Digital Decade [EU’s overarching framework to guide all actions related to the digital economy] requires that everyone has the necessary skills to use everyday technologies.
 

Is it possible to use robotics to increase efficiency and personalise an event without neglecting the human interaction that accompanies this type of networking?

The personalisation of services is one of the main opportunities for associations, and it seems to me that there is a general trend towards personalisation in many sectors. The use of robots is just one example, and in fact, if used correctly, this and other technologies can enhance the human experience, creating a talking point during an event or function, and encouraging engagement and discourse. ADR technologies, at least as we understand them, should be used in a human-centred and collaborative way.
 

"Still, there is an urgent need to increase investment in AI and robotics data to ensure that Europe is able to capitalise on the market opportunity and that the technology developed also enshrines core European values."

How can the combination of ADR technologies accelerate the reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030 in order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality in Europe?

AI can be applied to improve hazard prediction for long-term regionalised events such as sea level rise, for immediate extreme weather events, as well as to bolster climate research and modelling efforts - funding, education and behaviour change. We already see some of these technologies gradually permeating the construction sector through energy saving and power management. On the other hand, as well as freeing us from repetitive labour, robots play an important role in reducing material waste and realising the circular economy. For example, due to consumers’ increased adoption of electric vehicles, the battery supply chain has seen an upsurge in demand. To meet this need, manufacturers are looking to robotic automation for fast and reliable assembly and disassembly options. Similarly, this can be seen in agriculture, where the so-called “convergence” of these technologies could see an increase in productivity in line with that of the invention of fertilisers. We really are on the cusp of a significant revolution for humanity.
 

How can associations empower their members and innovate revenue streams through data?

All European organisations can and should take advantage of the data economy. In particular, associations can collect and analyse market and member data to offer new personalised services, improve communication activities, and optimise the use of internal resources. Event data provides crucial insights to help you improve the overall user experience at live, hybrid and virtual conferences. By understanding how participants engage with the content, which sessions and speakers they find most interesting, we can personalise their journey. Importantly, you can also support lead generation and increase revenue opportunities by targeting new audiences based on previous attendance patterns.
 

How do you interpret the relationship between the development of AI and responsible data management? How can this benefit the success of the event in a way that a classic face-to-face event cannot?

COVID has changed that a lot. Some of these things have stuck, and the increased use of digital and data technology has been one of them. While this change now allows associations to gain crucial insights to achieve better results, it has also created concerns about how best to manage this information, and ensure that the data is secure. Fortunately, most online event platforms offer cloud solutions that include additional layers of encryption and authentication to protect sensitive data. However, there is a much greater responsibility on the backs of organisers to manage their data responsibly and in accordance with the GDPR. One very practical application for these technologies is the use of AI for a better customer service experience that would have never been possible without the explosion in data collection.
 

How can we safeguard consumer communications and data privacy to build cyber resilience in a digital society?

The European Commission is about to approve the Cybersecurity Act, a proposal for a regulation on horizontal cybersecurity requirements for products with digital components. The regulation aims to guarantee the safety of products with digital components, such as domestic cameras or smart fridges, before they enter the market. The proposed regulation will apply to all products connected directly or indirectly to another device or network, with some exceptions for products already subject to cybersecurity requirements under existing EU rules. Considering the relevance of European policy for innovation ecosystems, at Adra, we have set up a working group on AI data and robotics policy at Adra, with the aim of keeping members up to date on new EU regulations such as cybersecurity law, AI and data law. We also organise regular meetings with European Commission Directors and MEPs to get information on new regulations and to provide input from the innovation ecosystem to European governments.