Artificial intelligence and quantum technologies - disruptive technologies that can change the world. On February 6, Bavarian State Minister Markus Blume visited the TUM Think Tank. On the occasion of the launch of the QuantWorld project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with 1.9 million euros, the TUM Think Tank presented two of its projects to the Bavarian State Minister of Science and the Arts: the Quantum Social Lab and the Generative AI Taskforce. An in-depth insight into the projects of the TUM Think Tank, which not only drives innovation, but also embodies an innovative entity itself.

The Generative AI Taskforce promotes responsible innovation

"ChatGPT was the 'iPhone moment' of generative AI," explained Noha Lea Halim, who presented the TUM Think Tank's Generative AI Taskforce. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) - most notably ChatGPT - has fundamentally changed our technological landscape. The rapid market entry of these new technologies has created a tension between innovation and regulation. To navigate these questions, the TUM Think Tank launched the Generative AI Taskforce in April last year. "The task force here at the TUM Think Tank ensures a transfer of knowledge from universities to industry and the state and strengthens Bavaria's pioneering role in the global AI landscape," says Halim.

Quantum technologies: The social transformation of tomorrow - already in view today

"In keeping with the theme of the iPhone moment of artificial intelligence, we are still waiting for the so-called QDay in the field of quantum technology," explained Urs Gasser, Rector of the Munich School of Public Policy (HfP). "Even though traditional computing systems are still widely used today, quantum technologies are already here and have the potential to change the future forever."

This is why Urs Gasser and Fabienne Marco founded the Quantum Social Lab in September 2022 with the support of TUM President Thomas Hofmann. The Quantum Social Lab deals with the ethical, legal, social and technical challenges and opportunities that await us in the course of the further development of this technology. As part of this, the Lab will bring these new technologies closer to citizens with the help of artists and a participatory learning platform through the QuantWorld project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to the tune of 1.9 million euros. In view of the expected disruptive effects of second-generation quantum technologies, the project is investigating specific future scenarios in the fields of medicine, banking and mobility. "We don't know what the future will look like with second-generation quantum technologies, but we shouldn't miss the opportunity to shape it," Fabienne Marco, head of the lab, concludes.

"A think tank in the best sense of the word and a real flagship for AI research and AI application in Bavaria: the TUM Think Tank's projects fit in perfectly with Bavaria's AI measures. The AI age and the coming quantum revolution bring with them ethical, regulatory and social challenges that we want to address at an early stage. The Quantum Social Lab and the Generative AI Taskforce are preparing citizens and decision-makers in Bavaria for the opportunities and social impact of these disruptive technologies. We are delighted that these important programs are being implemented in Bavaria and are therefore happy to continue supporting the research and projects at the TUM Think Tank!" say the Bavarian State Minister for Science and the Arts, Markus Blume. 

The Bavarian state government is actively committed to investing in key technologies, education, research, infrastructure, transfer and science as part of its high-tech agenda. The Minister's visit underlines the importance of innovation and collaboration between research institutions and public administration to push the frontiers of society and technological development. The Generative AI Taskforce and the Quantum Social Lab are just two examples of how social and technological transformation come together in the TUM Think Tank and at the HfP. We would like to thank the Minister of State for Science and the Arts, Markus Blume, for his visit and his great interest, and we look forward to further collaboration.

The rapid development of quantum technologies (QT) promises an economic innovation boost, new breakthroughs in science, and unprecedented solutions to global societal problems. For years, TUM and the Munich region have been a hub for innovation and research in the field of quantum technologies. This research is now complemented by a flagship project from the newly established Quantum Social Lab at the TUM Think Tank. Supported by the BMBF with a total of 1.9 million euros, the project "QuantWorld" focuses on the future of responsible technology development, making quantum technologies understandable to people where they will impact their daily work. The project integrates social aspects into the world of quantum technologies and takes new methodological approaches by involving artists in knowledge dissemination, making quantum technologies experiential.

Quantum Technologies: The Path to the Future

Quantum technologies have the potential to reshape the world as we know it. Applications range from personalized drug development to contributions, climate protection through innovative battery technologies, to agricultural optimization based on more accurate predictions of natural events. While some applications such as quantum sensors in medical imaging are already on the market, others - like powerful quantum computers and developments in quantum communication - are still in their infancy.

To harness the full innovation potential of quantum technologies while also addressing their risks, including security threats or access equity, it is essential to engage with their societal dimensions and anticipate the potential impacts on people in their (professional) daily lives while technical development is still malleable.

This is where the "QuantWorld" project comes in. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF),it enables citizens, regardless of their background, to gain insight into the world of quantum technologies today and prepare for the future. The project is part of the Quantum Social Lab at the TUM Think Tank and was developed in collaboration with Fraunhofer AISEC and the TUM Clinic Rechts der Isar entstanden.

Urs Gasser, Principal Investigator of the project and Dean of the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology, sums up this challenge:"Quantum technologies can help us build a better future in many ways. However, we must ensure that societal, political, and ethical implications are considered from the outset, and technical innovations align with the well-being of people. We must avoid the mistake of only thinking about these aspects, as we did with AI, when applications emerge from the labs. QuantWorld is an attempt to be more proactive and participatory."

A Unique Educational Platform

The QuantWorld project provides a unique educational platform to introduce people to the world of quantum technologies, regardless of their prior knowledge. It combines innovative teaching methods, including artistic interventions, to make quantum technologies tangible and create a basis for a broad dialogue on the societal challenges associated with the development and establishment of second-generation quantum technologies.

Fabienne Marco, a doctoral candidate in computer science and political science who leads the Quantum Social Lab, provides a glimpse into the future: "Quantum technologies are abstract and built on complex mathematical and physical principles. Representing this abstraction requires new methods. Artistic interventions enable us to provide a new and disruptive way of accessing these technologies, initiating a transfer from the academic world to society, politics, and business. This concept will be further developed in the coming years to build an interdisciplinary network that focuses on the innovative communication of cutting-edge technologies and their applications, as well as the associated societal challenges."

Upon project completion, all suitable modules will be integrated into a QuantumBasics course, offering an overview of the fundamental workings of second-generation quantum technologies and potential future scenarios in the fields of medicine, banking, and mobility. Additionally, the artistic interventions will be made digitally accessible. In the long term, the learning experience from the QuantWorld platform will be transformed into virtual course formats to create an "immersive twin" of QuantWorld.

The project aligns with TUM's vision, committed to human-centered engineering. Thomas Hoffmann, President of TUM, emphasizes the importance of this approach: "This societal reference to complex technologies is critical for our innovation location in Munich. The QuantWorld project marks a crucial step toward a future where innovation and technology development are responsible, socially accepted, and sustainable."

For more information about "QuantWorld," please visit here.

About the Quantum Social Lab and the TUM Think Tank

The Quantum Social Lab focuses on researching and shaping the societal opportunities and risks surrounding quantum technologies, addressing responsible innovation and regulation, among other topics. It also offers various forms of knowledge dissemination regarding the theoretical and technological foundations of quantum technologies and is part of the TUM Think Tank.

The TUM Think Tank promotes societal and political change by bridging theory and practice. It creates interdisciplinary learning and experimentation spaces where stakeholders from science, society, and politics collaborate on specific questions and problems related to responsible technologies.

"AI applications are only as good at medicine as the data sets they are trained on. So you need really good data sets, including from our patients in Germany. These should not be biased and should meet high quality standards. Then you get the best possible medical AI. And if it has been carefully proven that such an AI application can perform individual tasks better than doctors or existing software, then we at the German Ethics Council say that it should be made widely available. There are the very first examples, for example in diagnostics in imaging" says Alena Buyx, Chair of Germany's Ethics Council and member of the Generative AI Taskforce at the TUM Think Tank.

She gave an interview to Tagesspiegel Background on Medicine and AI and touches on topics like AI algorithms in psychotherapy, and the Ethics Council's stand on electronic patient records. "Artificial intelligence is a tool in medicine", says Alena Buyx. On the question of ethical evaluation of AI, a central review board could be helpful, she says.

The full interview is available by free subscription at: Tagesspiegel Background.

Already: Deep fakes are flooding the web. Some fear that AI could even help develop new viruses. "I still believe that the potential to help humanity through AI is extremely great," says AI researcher Daniel Rückert, a member of the Generative AI Taskforce on the German TV program "Titel Thesen Temperamente." He is primarily researching AI-assisted image analysis in medicine. For example, he envisions that in a few years, every primary care physician will be able to use AI to say, "You may develop a certain cancer in two years. Here's what you can do now to change that still."

Watch the whole segment (in German) here.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to fundamentally change the scientific landscape. In a state parliament hearing in the Committee for Science and the Arts, Prof. Dr. Enkelejda Kasneci, co-leader of the Generative AI Taskforce at the TUM Think Tank, was asked together with other experts about the opportunities and risks of AI in higher education. The discussion revolved around preparing students and faculty to use AI, the role of AI tools such as ChatGPT in writing, and the need for open and accessible use of AI tools in libraries. Despite some concerns, the experts emphasized the positive impact of AI and advocated for an optimistic view of the future of academia.

The co-leader of the Generative AI Taskforce emphasized that generative AI is steadily advancing and has ever-shorter technological cycles. This, she said, opens up opportunities for active, collaborative and immersive learning environments that are individually tailored to learners' needs, thus paying into the UNESCO Education 2030 Agenda, which calls for a human-centered approach to AI in education to advance inclusion and equity. Under the motto "AI for All," everyone should benefit from the technological revolution and reap its rewards, especially in the form of innovation and knowledge.

Basic competency goals in academic writing will still be maintained and will not be replaced in the long term. However, the introduction of AI writing tools requires adaptation, where integration should be done responsibly. Legal issues were also highlighted during the hearing, such as copyright, privacy, and liability. Universities should carefully consider these issues and take appropriate measures to protect the rights of all stakeholders, Kasneci said.

Although some students and faculty appreciated the efficiency and support of AI writing tools and certainly saw advantages in time savings, generation of ideas, and error detection, there was also some skepticism about automated text generation. Concerns about plagiarism and data protection could also lead to acceptance problems. According to Kasneci, students and faculty have reservations predominantly about the accuracy, reliability, and ethics of AI-generated texts. There could be a sense of loss of control if AI writing tools are perceived as a substitute for traditional writing skills. Therefore, she said, it is important to acknowledge these concerns and provide comprehensive education, training, and guidance to promote student and faculty confidence and acceptance.

In general, the experts agreed that a "calibrated trust" in AI is necessary in the scientific community. This means that students and teachers should be prepared for the use of AI in order to make the most of the opportunities offered by this technology. It was emphasized that AI tools such as ChatGPT can automate writing and increase creativity, allowing students and faculty to focus on more challenging tasks.

Kasneci appealed, "Education needs to move from routine and impersonal tasks to more personal, complex and creative tasks. We need to find ways to enable the promotion of multifaceted competencies beyond curricula and syllabi in higher education, with a strong focus on creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication."

She adds, "Overall, we are facing an exciting time of change in education. The question will be how do we make innovation and knowledge accessible to all, enable a more equitable and inclusive education landscape that meets the demands of a disruptively changing world."

It is not only in higher education that there is an urgent need for action. In the Handelsblatt, Kasneci recently called for a " revamping of the curricula". Teaching is "far too fragmented" - with the support of AI, it will be easier to teach "holistically" in the future. To achieve this, however, the education ministers must ensure that all teachers acquire a basic knowledge of AI.

Enkelejda Kasneci is a co-founder of the newly established TUM Center for Educational Technologies, where interdisciplinary research teams investigate the effectiveness of digital tools for learning and teaching and develop new applications. The center will bring these into practice through advanced training and by supporting start-ups.

Each week, we will introduce you to one of the members of the Generative AI Taskforce at the TUM Think Tank. Get to know their take on the latest developments within the field of Generative AI, representing various perspectives and fields.

On our first episode: Meet Georg Groh, from the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology.

Now out on our YouTube Channel: