Warum einen Master in Computer Science?

With this edition of Neuland, we’re bringing you a special highlight from the Tech Leadership Conference 2025 hosted by the d-school at the Hasso Plattner Institute. Today's tech leaders came together with the leaders of tomorrow — to exchange ideas, to debate, and to explore one big question: How do we navigate the future? In this episode, we’re featuring a very special conversation: a Fireside Chat with Hans Königsmann, former Vice President at SpaceX. He’s joined by HPI professor Ralf Herbrich, head of the chair for Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability. This session is moderated by Friederike Hoffmann. You can find more information about the conference here: https://hpi.de/en/europes-sovereignty-in-focus/

Wir stehen an einem entscheidenden Wendepunkt: Zukunftstechnologien wie Künstliche Intelligenz, Quantencomputing und digitale Infrastrukturen verändern sämtliche Branchen in rasantem Tempo. In diesem Kontext ist es wichtiger denn je, Europas digitale Souveränität zu stärken. Mit einem klaren Werteverständnis und mit Führungspersönlichkeiten, die nicht nur die Geschwindigkeit und Komplexität technologischer Entwicklungen verstehen, sondern auch bereit sind, den Status quo zu hinterfragen, durch Unsicherheit zu navigieren und mit Integrität mutige Entscheidungen zu treffen. Vor diesem Hintergrund lädt das Hasso-Plattner-Institut Sie herzlich zur ersten Tech Leadership Conference (TLC) am 17. und 18. Juli 2025 in Potsdam-Griebnitzsee ein. Der Link zur Anmeldung: https://techleadershipconference.de/

In einer zunehmend vernetzten Welt geraten unsere Systeme und Infrastrukturen immer stärker ins Visier – nicht nur von klassischen Cyberkriminellen, sondern auch von staatlich gelenkten Akteuren und gut organisierten Gruppen. Die Angriffe sind oft leise, vielschichtig und gezielt: Manipulierte Informationen, Cyberattacken, Sabotageakte und digitale Spionage. Die Bedrohung ist vielfältig – und sie ist real. Hinzu kommt aktuell die Herausforderung durch die transatlantischen Unsicherheiten. Wir sprechen darüber mit Prof. Christian Dörr und Dr. Martin C. Wolff. Ihr Podcast "Abgewehrt" ist unter anderem hier abrufbar: https://abgewehrt.podigee.io/ Wer sich für die Potsdamer Konferenz für Nationale Cybersicherheit am 21. und 22. Mai 2025 anmelden möchte, hier ist der Link zur Registrierung: https://hpi.de/potsdamer-konferenz-fuer-nationale-cybersicherheit/

The rapid pace of progress in artificial intelligence (AI) has far-reaching implications for all industries. In this context, there is a need to move quickly to keep up with the competition, while at the same time upholding ethical standards and updating ethical best practices to consider the latest technical developments. This panel will explore how ethical principles, and a sense of responsibility can be integrated into the development and implementation of AI systems. Experts from various industries discuss how principles such as fairness, transparency, and data protection can be implemented in practice to minimize the risks and potential negative impacts of AI use. A particular focus is on the development of guidelines and best practices that companies and organizations have adopted to use AI technologies responsibly and sustainably, even in the absence of stringent regulatory frameworks. The discussion highlights how industry leaders and civil society have sought to proactively establish ethical standards and self-regulatory measures. This includes examining how these practices reflect their commitment to ethical AI use and how they shape the future of AI deployment beyond formal regulations.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to trust AI in global health has become increasingly important. As we navigate global challenges such as poverty, conflict, and societal polarization, trust in AI and its role in health management is under scrutiny. This panel explores AI's potential to enhance global public health, improve crisis preparedness, and combat misinformation. Key questions include: Can AI truly support the common good without human oversight? How can we balance technological progress with preserving essential human values? Beyond the health sector, trust in AI is essential for its broader adoption. Health, as a key application area, highlights the need to build and maintain public trust to ensure AI's positive impact. This discussion focusses on the ethical frameworks needed to guarantee AI's beneficial role, while preserving public trust and human dignity in global health initiatives.

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly integrates into various aspects of our lives, addressing the ethical implications of its use becomes more crucial. Algorithmic decisions are often made at such a massive speed and volume that human oversight is no longer practical. In this panel, experts from various disciplines will explore how biased data and a lack of diversity in development can lead to discriminatory outcomes. This is particularly troublesome for recent AI models with many millions of parameters that are far too complex to be interpretable by humans. The discussion focusses on how biases arise in datasets and algorithms, the ethical standards that need to be established, and how to create fair, inclusive, and transparent AI systems.

In the digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing political processes and decision-making. From targeted election campaigns to the analysis of voter behavior, AI has the potential to reshape democratic systems. While technology offers new opportunities to optimize electoral processes, it also raises significant concerns regarding transparency, fairness, and the risk of manipulation. Some campaigns have been launched by foreign actors seeking to spread disinformation and propaganda. This panel will explore how AI can impact democratic integrity, with a focus on its effects in U.S. elections, state elections in Eastern Germany, and other significant upcoming political events, including the German federal elections. This discussion addresses the role of regulation in ensuring fair and transparent elections and measures to safeguard election processes from manipulation and disinformation.

Alexander Kuscher is a Senior Director of Product Management at Google. Fifteen years ago, he completed his Bachelor's degree in IT Systems Engineering at HPI. Alexander joined Google in 2010 and has since worked on various projects related to mobile advertising, the Chrome browser, and Chrome OS. Today, he leads the software product team for Chrome OS. In this episode, we talk about his time as a student at HPI, his experiences in Silicon Valley, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence. Join us and register now for our AI @ HPI conference on December 3 and 4, 2024. Follow this link to register: https://hpi.de/en/ai-hpi-conference/

Im Masterstudiengang Computer Science am Hasso-Plattner-Institut lernst du gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen durch digitale Innovationen zu lösen und so die Zukunft aktiv, inklusiv und verantwortungsbewusst mitzugestalten: von der Verbesserung der Gesundheitsvorsorge bis zur Gestaltung künstlicher Intelligenz. Wer sich dafür interessiert, kann sich für unseren Newsletter registrieren. Hier: https://hpi.de/das-hpi/registrierung/hpi-newsletter-for-prospective/ - Weitere Informationen zum Master Computer Science auf unserer Homepage: https://hpi.de/studium/computer-science-msc/

Wie lässt sich der Artenschutz von Gorillas mithilfe von Künstlicher Intelligenz fördern? Ein HPI-Team hat genau das erprobt - und ein System entwickelt, mit dessen Hilfe Gorillas anhand von Videos automatisch wieder erkannt werden. Der „Gorilla Tracker“ kann einzelne Gorillas auf Videoaufnahmen identifizieren und über längere Zeiträume hinweg beobachten. Die Technologie basiert auf Deep Learning und Computer Vision und ermöglicht das Tracking von Bewegungen und Verhaltensweisen der Gorillas. Wir sprechen darüber mit HPI-Doktorand Maximilian Schall, der das Projekt betreut hat. Übrigens: der "Gorilla Tracker" wird auch auf unserer Konferenz AI@HPI am 3. und 4.Dezember 2024 vorgestellt. Tickets dafür gibt es hier: https://hpi.de/en/ai-hpi-conference/