BDVA Secretary General to speak at the European Parliament STOA workshop on Generative AI in Science
Secretary General Ana García Robles will represent BDVA on 29 April at a high-level workshop hosted by the European Parliament's Panel for the Future of Science and Technology, focused on the future of scientific development through the lens of Gen AI.
Secretary General Ana García Robles will represent the Big Data Value Association at a high-level workshop hosted by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA), focused on the future of scientific development through the lens of Generative AI. The workshop brings together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), policymakers and leading researchers to explore the transformative potential of AI in scientific disciplines, alongside the critical challenges and ethical concerns it presents. Ana García Robles will contribute to discussions on behalf of the BDVA community, offering insights from the association’s work in the field, reflecting the progress and outcomes of the BDVA Generative AI Task Force.
📅 29 April 2025
🕐 13:00-16:00 CEST (Brussels time)
📍 European Parliament Brussels – SPINELLI 5E2 (in-person or Online streaming)
Register for the workshop here.
AI is increasingly underpinning advances in science, supporting discoveries in fields such as Chemistry and Physics—as recently recognised through recent Nobel Prize awards. As scientific processes grow more data-driven, AI is becoming an indispensable part of research workflows. However, as the European Commission works to establish a European AI in Science Strategy, questions of strategic autonomy, research integrity and responsible innovation are at the heart of the policy conversation. Concerns are growing around the potential misuse of Large Language Models (LLMs) for generating scientific publications and grant proposals, which could further exacerbate the ongoing inflation of scientific output. This raises issues not only about information overload for human researchers, but also the risk of AI systems being relied upon for peer review or research evaluation—disrupting traditional scientific discourse.
Nevertheless, with transparent and ethical use, AI also offers powerful tools for improving scientific communication, supporting interdisciplinary collaboration, and helping researchers stay informed in rapidly evolving fields. As such, the need for harmonised standards to safeguard research ethics and ensure quality communication is becoming increasingly urgent.
Follow the STOA conference live via online streaming on 29 April at 13:00 CET here!
The BDVA’s Task Force on Generative AI / Foundation Models is actively engaged in addressing these issues and has set several medium- to long-term objectives to advance its mission. One key goal is to establish a forum that addresses the previously identified challenges and explores their impact on the practical implementation of Gen AI. This forum will foster collaboration, co-creation and the formation of partnerships, particularly in the realms of research, development and deployment of Gen AI and Foundation Model-based solutions, including new proposals for Horizon Europe.
Connect with BDVA’s Generative AI Task force!
Its current priorities include:
- Identifying real-world GenAI applications across sectors, with a focus on scalability, impact, and business potential.
- Developing strategies to facilitate industrial stakeholders on leveraging GenAI providing a framework for guidance and training to empower businesses, SMEs, and public institutions to adopt GenAI responsibly and efficiently as well as handling the AI literacy requirements in the AI Act.
- Facilitating the adoption of GenAI by companies through practical implementation support. Many companies struggle with the integration of GenAI into their workflows, therefore practical tools and guidance for seamless adoption are being discussed in the scope of the task force.
The STOA workshop serves as a crucial step in developing a shared understanding of both the promises and pitfalls of AI in science. Through open debate and expert contributions, including that of Ana García Robles, the event seeks to pave the way towards an ethically grounded and scientifically vibrant AI-powered future.