Summer School on AI Student Travel Diary: Lara Kauter from Freie Universität Berlin

Day 1: Through Rain and Rail

Sunday: A scenic train journey to the Summer School.

My journey to Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg began on Sunday in Amsterdam. I travelled by train to Brussels and then continued by train to Luxembourg.

Travelling by train was the right choice for me as I was able to enjoy the beautiful changing landscapes outside the train window. The journey was very smooth, and I arrived in rainy Esch-sur-Alzette feeling well rested.

After checking in, I got to meet and chat with some fellow Summer School participants. In the evening, I went for a short stroll to explore the quiet streets of Esch, before going to bed early to be rested for the first day of the programme.

On the first day of the Summer School, I had breakfast at our hostel before taking the train to the Belval campus with some of the other participants I had met the previous day.

The first day of the programme focused on introducing the technical aspects of AI and its impact on security and safety. There were many interesting talks throughout the day, covering topics such as software engineering, data protection and the impact of AI on job markets, as well as the use of AI for research. Talks by professors and fellow Master’s and PhD students alike sparked interesting debates and discussions.

Although the day was quite long, the well-timed coffee breaks and longer lunch break enabled us to get to know each other better and recharge for the next sessions. After the programme, we headed together to dinner at a restaurant located in Esch-sur-Alzette and continued our interesting conversations over tasty food.

The second day of the programme focused on AI ethics. Similarly to the previous day, the day was filled with talks and presentations by professors, doctoral researchers and students from all over Europe (and beyond) participating in the Summer School. The topics of the day ranged from ethics of humans in the loop, to computational ethics, and the question of whether we need to worry about super intelligence and its societal impact. I particularly enjoyed hearing about my fellow participants’ research projects. The summer school provided a friendly and constructive environment for us to exchange ideas, provide helpful feedback and discuss our fields of interest.

After the programme, many of us went together on a self-organised trip to the city of Luxembourg. Walking around the city and exploring its beautiful, postcard-worthy streets and viewpoints was the perfect way to unwind and recharge for the next day’s programme. Luckily, a Luxembourgian student in our group showed us his favourite spots in the city, including a delicious vegan restaurant in the city centre.

The third day of the summer school’s programme focused on AI landscape in law. We explored different aspects of the European AI Act and talked about the regulation and responsibility of AI. As the increasing deployment of AI in various fields introduces new challenges of data protection, algorithmic discrimination, surveillance, and human rights, we discussed the ethical and legal implications involved.

Drawing from real cases of AI deployment in social media, migration, civil litigation and law enforcement, the third day’s programme offered many interactive discussions and new insights.

As it was the last day, we took a group photo and had a dinner planned at a restaurant close to Belval campus. To pass the time in-between, I went with a few others to visit an old industry factory of steel production. The gigantic blast furnace is located right next to campus and offers a beautiful view from up, not to mention its striking appearance when passing by on the way to the university’s campus.

Afterwards it was already time for our last dinner together as a group, with some of the speakers joining us as well. Enjoying a glass of Luxembourgish wine and eating the tasty food in such great company turned out to be the perfect farewell to the eventful past three days.