Next generation AI and Human Behaviour: promoting an ethical approach

Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Horizon Europe (2021-2027)

Programme Description

Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-01-12

Call

Next generation AI and Human Behaviour: promoting an ethical approach

Summary

One of the key challenges is that the meaning and appropriate interpretation of the key concepts and principles in AI guidelines will often be highly context specific.
To develop affective AI systems, researchers aim to improve their understanding of the way the human brain learns and transfers knowledge. Potentially, this understanding will help to build explainable, trustworthy, and human-centric AI systems and processes.

Detailed Call Description

As policy-makers and AI actors around the world move from principles to implementation, the action should:

  • To better understand the ethical challenges (1) associated with the study of human behaviour and cognition to support the development or improve AI systems and (2) related to the impact of AI on human cognition and behaviour, the current landscape should be reviewed and three chosen exemplary areas of research can be selected (such as of emotion recognition applications, deep learning and general intelligence);
  • Establish specialised, inclusive networks of expertise, comprised of multidisciplinary teams (including, amongst others, engineers, data scientists, legal experts, ethicists, cognitive researchers, researchers with expertise in other relevant areas, research administrators and policy experts);
  • In collaboration with the networks of experts, and based on findings and case-studies, develop operational guidelines for AI systems that build on the study of human cognition and behaviour. These guidelines should incorporate ethics into the relevant research and design processes and facilitate the ethical assessment and auditing of research projects and outcomes (including toolboxes for algorithmic impact assessment). The guidelines should target the research community, with an emphasis on early career researchers as well as the ethics experts (e.g., members of ethics review committees) and project managers. The developed guidelines must adjust the ethics-by-design approaches to the relevant areas of study and development. These should include mechanisms to assess ‘ethics readiness levels’ for the relevant ‘technology readiness levels’ and encompass the relevant mechanisms to incorporate ethics-enhancing methods directly in the design of the research protocols and prototypes (e.g., privacy-enhancing technologies, explainability, human-centred approach in design);
  • Develop a toolbox for international cooperation in AI research and development in the relevant areas, taking into account the regulatory and ethical landscape in key strategic partners (for example China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Canada and the US). Incorporate principles of benefit sharing in AI research and development in accordance with the Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings (TRUST Code);
  • As a result of the above activities, this action should also produce innovative training material (reflecting the guidelines) for students, early career and experienced researchers. In addition, Framework Programme ethics appraisal scheme experts should be trained (250-300). Close attention should be paid to gender balance, as well as to gender equality- and diversity-related ethical aspects. Feedback of the trainees should be used to improve the trainings.

All activities proposed must be based on multidisciplinary, inclusive networks of expertise, including amongst others, engineers, data scientists, AI legal experts, ethicists, cognitive researchers, linguists and educators, as well as private sector representatives. 

Finally, the action should aim at valorising and widely disseminating the material produced beyond the community of ethics and integrity experts, in particular by promoting its use for the students and young researchers that will constitute the next generation of ethics experts and reviewers.

Call Total Budget

€3.00 million

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

100%

EU Contribution: €3.00 million

Thematic Categories

  • Enlargement
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation

Eligibility for Participation

  • Legal Entities
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions

Eligibility For Participation Notes

Legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate in this Coordination and support action.

Legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate in this Coordination and support action.

Due to the scope of this topic, in addition to the minimum number of participants set out in the General Annexes, proposals must include at least two participants from Japan, China, the Republic of Korea and/or African countries non-associated to Horizon Europe. Participants from countries, which are not eligible for funding according to the General Annexes, may take part in the project as associated partners.

Due to the scope of this topic, legal entities established in non-associated third countries are exceptionally eligible for Union funding.

Consortia with EU partners or Associated Countries partners that have not previously collaborated are encouraged to participate.

Call Opening Date

06/12/2023

Call Closing Date

12/03/2024

National Contact Point(s)

Research and Innovation Foundation

29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia
P.O.Box 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Phone Number: +357 22205000
Email Address: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/

Contact Persons:
Ms Constantina Makri
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 054
Contact Email: cmakri@research.org.cy

Ms Katerina Karakasidou
Scientific Officer
Contact Phone: +357 22 205 036
Contact Email: kkarakasidou@research.org.cy

Mr. Marinos Photiades
Scientific Officer
Contact phone: +357 22205048
Contact email: mphotiades@research.org.cy 

Dr Kalypso Sepou
Head of European Programmes Department
Contact Phone: +357 22 205066
Contact Email: kalypso@research.org.cy