On October 26 at 6:00 p.m., the Cuspide A Hall of the Genoa Blue District hosted the second event in the AperiRAISE – Scientific Aperitifs at the Festival of Science series, dedicated to the theme “The Ethical Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence: The Other Side of AI.”
The fully booked event confirmed the public’s strong interest in topics related to research and technological innovation.
The evening featured Annalisa Barla, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Genoa, who guided the audience through the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. With clarity and precision, she illustrated how AI systems – now deeply embedded in everyday life, from loan approvals and medical diagnoses to the selection of the news we read—raise crucial social, cultural, and moral questions.
Her lecture went beyond the familiar discussions on algorithmic bias, addressing the more subtle and profound dimensions of the issue. Barla showed that distortions do not arise solely from data, but also from the processes of annotation and representation that shape them. This perspective allowed the audience to better understand the limitations of current methods and to reflect on the importance of regulation that promotes transparency, accountability, and reproducibility.
The event alternated between theoretical insights and concrete examples, fostering a lively dialogue between the speaker and the audience. After the talk, the discussion continued at length, with numerous questions, comments, and shared reflections—testimony to the curiosity and engagement with which the public embraced the topic.
Participants also showed keen interest in the future perspectives outlined by the speaker, who emphasized the value of education as an essential tool to navigate ongoing transformations. In an informal yet content-rich atmosphere, the evening offered a tangible opportunity to bring scientific research closer to the urban and social fabric, in line with the high-quality outreach mission that defines the RAISE project.
At the close of the event, Annalisa Barla shared a reflection that captured the essence of the initiative: “It is always deeply rewarding when the audience participates with curiosity and a genuine desire to understand, especially on topics like artificial intelligence—subjects everyone talks about, but many truly wish to explore. Evenings like this confirm two things for me: first, the importance of education, not only academic but also public outreach. Scientists must step out of their ivory towers and share their research in accessible ways—it is a duty to society. The second concerns how we communicate AI. It is not enough to speak of performance; we must explain how models are built and from which data they emerge, in line with the principles of transparency and open science. I am also very interested in exploring how AI itself can help make science communication more effective and accessible across disciplines.”
The second AperiRAISE thus strengthened the dialogue between science and the public, offering a genuine opportunity for reflection and exchange on one of today’s most pressing and fascinating issues.
