News (index) - Knowledge Centre Data & Society

A mosaic-like image of clouds, made of server and data center components, symbolizing the hidden physical infrastructure of cloud computing.

Een mozaïekachtige afbeelding van wolken, gemaakt van server- en datacenteronderdelen, die de verborgen fysieke infrastructuur van cloud computing symboliseert.

(NL) SolidMonitor: Fleming wants to use personal data safe mainly for health applications

For the second year in a row, imec researchers at UGent and VUB conducted an online survey of 2,500 Flemish people on privacy, personal data and data safes.

23.01.2024

AI in Flanders

(NL) Event: Slimme Stad, Tevreden Burger?

Find the report and presentations (in Dutch) of the event here.

18.12.2023

Smart cities

Three people stand next to industrial machinery in a bright, modern manufacturing facility, reviewing documents or data on a device.

Drie mensen staan naast industriële machines in een lichte, moderne productiefaciliteit en bekijken documenten of gegevens op een apparaat.

Jonne van Belle

(NL) Looking for support to make the transition to Industry 4.0?

In the BOOT project, several products were developed that can get you started in choosing the right Industry 4.0 technologies and introducing them in a participatory way in your company.

18.09.2023

Workfloor

This illustration presents a multi-layered visualisation of AI's integration into modern day society. The composition is built upon a spherical grid system that mirrors Earth's curvature, creating a dynamic digital backdrop and an immersive sense of depth. This foundation represents the underlying framework of AI systems that span our globe. Humans are shown assembling cloud-shaped puzzle pieces, implying humanity's dual role as both architects and orchestrators of AI technology. The artwork acknowledges AI's imperfections, including glitch-like elements that represent systemic biases and errors in machine learning. Every day’s AI interactions are captured through various illustrations: children interacting with robotic companions, autonomous delivery systems, satellite communications, smartphones facilitating autonomous vehicle orders, and smart home technologies – all seamlessly woven into our daily lives. At the bottom, a depiction of a tree whose roots morph into flowing data streams and digital pathways, suggest how AI's growth and development are fundamentally nourished by human-supplied information.

Join our learning community 'AI and ethics in practice'

Are you focussing on the ethical, legal and societal aspects of AI and data-driven technologies in your work? Would you like to discuss this with other professionals and learn from peers? Then the learning community ‘AI and ethics in practice’ might be something for you!

22.04.2023

Ethics in practice

(NL) What do Flemish people think about smart home technology?

In 2023, the knowledge centre conducted a large-scale survey to investigate the attitudes, perceptions and practices of Flemish people regarding data-driven applications in the home context and smart home technology.

20.02.2023

AI in Flanders

Padlock placed on laptop keyboard.
Hangslot op toetsenbord van laptop.

(NL) SOLIDMonitor – Privacy, personal data & data safes

The SOLIDMonitor probed the Flemish' current attitudes and behaviours regarding online privacy and data sharing from a broad perspective. Discover the main findings here.

02.02.2023

AI in Flanders

Colourful floppy disks against bright orange background.
Kleurrijke floppy disks op een feloranje achtergrond.

(NL) What happens to your data when you pass away?

Should your loved ones be allowed to access all your WhatsApp messages when you die? These days, our digital legacy is as important as the objects we physically bequeath. What is it and what should you consider? We looked into it.

15.12.2022

People standing in a circle as part of the Datawalk.
Mensen staan in een kring en volgen een 'Datawalk'.

(NL) The Datawalk as a conversation starter

What is the added value of a Datawalk, a walk around data sources in the city? We asked UNIZO and the Province of East Flanders.

04.10.2022

Smart cities

Inside the frame of a mobile phone screen, a woman is depicted walking and looking over her shoulder. Behind her, there is an outdoor scene with the sky, tree, fences, and pavement. A hand is shown grabbing the phone and tapping the record button. On the left side of the phone, a small portion of the same sky, fences, and pavement is displayed in a different scale, representing the world outside the screen. On the right side of the phone, three figures of the same woman are shown against a plain blue background, progressively transforming from minimally glitched to heavily glitched.

Binnen het kader van een mobiel telefoonscherm is een vrouw afgebeeld die loopt en over haar schouder kijkt. Achter haar is een buitenscène te zien met de lucht, bomen, hekken en het trottoir. Er is een hand te zien die de telefoon vastpakt en op de opnameknop tikt. Aan de linkerkant van de telefoon wordt een klein deel van dezelfde lucht, hekken en stoep weergegeven in een andere schaal, die de wereld buiten het scherm voorstelt. Aan de rechterkant van de telefoon worden drie figuren van dezelfde vrouw getoond tegen een effen blauwe achtergrond, progressief veranderend van minimaal glitched naar zwaar glitched.

Overview Webinar Regulation of Deepfakes: an Overview of Policy Initiatives

This webinar provided an overview of recent policy initiatives in the field of deepfake technology.

21.09.2022

Policy monitor

Illustratie waarop twee mensen plakken notities op een scrumboard.
llustration of two people sticking notes on a scrum board.

Jonne van Belle

(NL) How do you make conscious ethical choices in your AI project?

We are working with Dries De Roeck (Studio Dott) on a logbook that helps you take ethics into account throughout an innovation project.

13.09.2022

Workfloor
Ethics in practice

Close-up of a metal-cutting machine emitting bright sparks during operation in an industrial setting.

Jonne van Belle

Dr. Rob Heyman

(NL) How do you make the transition to Industry 4.0 in a participatory way?

The BOOT project has started! Read more about the why and what of participatory implementation processes for operator support technology within an industry 4.0 context.

30.08.2022