ELLIS Unit Jena at the United Nations AI for Good Global Summit 2025
At the AI for Good Global Summit 2025, held in Geneva on July 8th to 11st, the ELLIS Unit Jena was actively represented – joining other European locations at the ELLIS Society booth. Numerous visitors stopped by to learn more about the network, the ELLIS PhD Program, and the Unit’s focus on Artificial Intelligence at the intersection with environmental sciences.
A key highlight was the keynote by Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schölkopf, co-founder of the ELLIS Society, who spoke about causal AI and its potential to benefit society. His talk emphasized the importance of trustworthy and responsible AI for the public good.
Another major moment was the workshop by Prof. Dr. Markus Reichstein, co-director of the Unit Jena, who explored how AI can help tackle the climate crisis – particularly through Earth observation and ecological modeling.
The presence of the ELLIS Unit Jena at the summit once again highlighted the critical role of excellent European AI research in addressing today’s global challenges.
In an era marked by climate change, rapid urbanization, and population growth, the frequency and severity of disasters continued to rise—posing increasing challenges to societies worldwide. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offered transformative potential to strengthen resilience and disaster preparedness. This presentation explored how Human-Centered AI could play a pivotal role in disaster management by focusing on the needs of end-users, particularly vulnerable communities.
Key questions addressed included:
How could Human-Centered AI be effectively implemented in disaster management using established standards?
How did the design of AI solutions vary depending on the target user group?
What tangible benefits did Human-Centered AI bring to the field?
Drawing on real-world case studies—including AI-driven route optimization tools for postal operators, AI-based flood forecasting systems for hydrological and meteorological services, and community-oriented chatbots—the presentation provided practical insights into successful applications and their impact. It highlighted best practices and frameworks developed by the ITU/WMO/UNEP Focus Group on AI for Natural Disaster Management, emphasizing the role of standards in ensuring transparency and accessibility.
The session also outlined upcoming activities led by the Global Initiative on Resilience to Natural Hazards through AI Solutions, aligning with the outcomes of the WMO Working Group on Digital Transformation for Hydrology and Water Resources.
Participants gained a deeper understanding of how tailored, user-centric AI solutions could empower communities and drive more effective disaster preparedness and response. The presentation invited reflection on practical approaches, shared experiences, and the future of Human-Centered AI in disaster resilience.
The video duration of Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schölkopf’s talk is 30 minutes. It is part of the full-day recording of the second day of the AI for Good Global Summit on July 8th, 2025.
