By Reyhaneh Sohrabi, PhD candidate, UAB.  What happens when an NLP scientist, an architect, a physician, a geneticist and a machine-learning engineer examine the same AI system?  They often notice completely different risks, and that was one of the most valuable aspects of the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence for Social Welfare Challenge, held in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The course brought together doctoral researchers and early-career professionals from different universities, countries and academic backgrounds. I (Reyhaneh Sohrabi) attended as an NLP scientist alongside Azadeh Shojaei, an architect specialising in urban design from UAB. Our fields approach technology from different perspectives. I study language,

On Friday, 17th July, Estel·la Oncins (Transmedia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona & the ALFIE project) chaired a panel exploring how virtual and immersive environments can be designed to be accessible, inclusive, and sustainable for diverse users, and the role artificial intelligence plays in shaping who gets to participate, and how. Why this matters now? Immersive technologies are advancing rapidly, with AI increasingly embedded at every layer of how these environments are built and experiences, from adaptive interfaces and intelligent avatars to automated accessibility services. This combination creates opportunities. For instance, AI-driven personalisation could make immersive spaces far more usable for people with disabilities, older adults,

Reyhaneh Sohrabi recently presented her work at the XVI International Symposium for Emerging Research in Translation, Interpreting, Intercultural Studies, and East Asian Studies, organized by the Department of Translation, Interpreting and East Asian Studies at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The symposium brought together more than 30 early-career researchers working across artificial intelligence, language learning, translation, intercultural communication, accessibility, and East Asian studies. The importance of this conference lay in its interdisciplinary character. It created a space where technical research on artificial intelligence could be discussed alongside questions of language, education, ethics, and culture. This was especially relevant because current AI research cannot be separated

Zenon Lambrou from Catalink presenting at the ITU Kaleidoscope conference. From 7 to 9 July, 2026, the global tech and policy community gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, for the ITU Kaleidoscope conference. Bringing together leading thinkers from industry, policy, and academia, this year’s conference served as a forum for discussing the future for standardised, trustworthy AI.  Representing the ALFIE project, representatives from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Catalink presented research addressing two important applications of AI: driver drowsiness detection and sign language interpreting. Enhancing well-being and public safety: Driver Drowiness Detection   Zenon Lambrou from Catalink presented a research paper titled “Driver Drowsiness Detection on

7th of July 2026, 10.00-10.45 (UTC+02:00) Geneva (Room G1, ITU Varembé, and Online) Reserve a spot: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2026/Agenda/Session/285  As artificial intelligence and virtual worlds become increasingly integrated into global digital infrastructure, questions of governance and safeguards have moved to the forefront of policy discourse. This panel examines the current state of AI governance frameworks across different jurisdictions and explores the unintended consequences emerging from existing regulatory approaches. The discussion will address the diverse governance structures taking shape worldwide and their varying philosophical foundations. It will also explore paradoxes and challenges that current frameworks have not fully anticipated—including tensions between data protection regulations and AI development, and