From Language Models to Sustainability – Insights from the Big Data Conference
On September 25–26, researchers, doctoral students, industry partners, and students gathered in Kalmar for the eleventh edition of the Big Data conference. During two intensive days filled with exciting presentations and engaging discussions, participants explored current trends in artificial intelligence (AI), visualization, language models, sustainability, and legal perspectives.
The day before the conference, the program kicked off with a five hours workshop on AI literacy, a practical introduction to what artificial intelligence is and the opportunities the technology offers. The workshop served as a perfect warm-up for the conference.
The first day offered a broad overview of AI’s development and areas of application. Participants were introduced to presentations on large language models, visual analytics, and the evolving role of humans, as well as concrete examples of how AI is being used in research, healthcare, and industry. The talks gave in-depth insights, sparked lively questions, and inspired continued discussions, both during the sessions and in the breaks between them.
"I believe the most valuable outcome was not only the insights presented but the questions that emerged. These questions will shape the conversations and research of the year ahead: Does understandable AI equate to trustworthy AI? How do we define the purpose for the use of AI, and are our incentive systems aligned with that purpose? Can we quantify both the costs and the benefits of AI, for example in terms of sustainability? And do we truly gain better control over AI by creating more rules and regulations? These are the challenges our community must continue to explore", said Welf Löwe, professor at Linnaeus University.
On the second day, discussions went even deeper. The morning focused on how AI and sensor data can contribute to better health and medical research. Attention then shifted to more critical perspectives, with sustainability, ethics, and law taking center stage. Presentations highlighted, among other things, AI’s role in efforts to support biodiversity and a circular economy, as well as the legal and ethical issues that must be addressed when the technology is applied in society.
In summary, this year’s Big Data conference became two days of knowledge sharing, fresh perspectives, and valuable encounters, a place where academia, industry, and the public sector could come together to explore how AI is shaping our future.
A big thank-you to everyone who made the conference possible and helped create an inspiring meeting place for dialogue and collaboration.
The conference is organized annually by the Linnaeus University Centre for Data Intensive Sciences and Applications (DISA).
Learn more about the DISA research environment here: lnu.se/disa
