Human Centered AI, Data & Software

The accelerating global adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven technologies and increasingly complex software systems presents both profound opportunities and significant challenges. Organizations must navigate evolving legal frameworks like the EU AI Act, ensure the development and deployment of ethical and trustworthy AI, manage fragmented data ecosystems and foster effective  collaboration between humans and AI. These demands underscore the need for robust methodologies, validated tools and practical expertise to guide the responsible and effective integration of these transformative technologies into society and industry, while addressing the critical need for human upskilling and adaptability in this digital age.

Mission

The Human-centred AI, Data and Software unit enables public and private organizations to successfully navigate this complex digital transformation. Its mission is to advance human-centred artificial intelligence, data science and software engineering by fostering innovations that improve human-AI collaboration, ethical AI development and trustworthiness. The unit empowers industry and society through cutting-edge research and technology, enabling sustainable growth, enhanced human capabilities and ethical AI adoption across multiple sectors.

Scope of expertise

To achieve its mission, the unit integrates multidisciplinary expertise across five research groups:

• AI Readiness and Assessment: This group helps public and private stakeholders adopt AI and data-driven technologies by addressing technical and compliance readiness. Using a practical approach, it delivers high-readiness demonstrators and prototypes that employ advanced predictive and generative AI.
• Human Modelling and Knowledge Engineering: Research focuses on seamless human-AI collaboration through human behaviour modelling, human digital twins, adaptive AI systems and advanced knowledge engineering.
• Software Engineering: Research within the group advances the creation and maintenance of robust and complex software systems using formal methods, low-code/no-code development, AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE), Software Engineering for AI (SE4AI) and novel techniques for modelling and testing AI components, including Large Language Models (LLMs).
• Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence: This group develops frameworks for AI governance, ethics and regulatory compliance (e.g. EU AI Act). Activities include AI assessment, risk management, robust benchmarking, explainability (XAI) and the translation of legal requirements into operational practices.
• Visualization and Interaction: The group designs and evaluates intuitive visualization and interactive technologies, including mixed reality and multimodal interfaces, to improve decision-making, user experience and technology adoption.

Through these combined strengths, the Human-centred AI, Data and Software unit is driving impactful innovation in AI, data and software, shaping a future in which technology serves humanity effectively and responsibly.