Keynote Speakers

Prof. Keith W. Hipel, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Title: The Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR): Reflections on Three Decades of Development

Abstract: The fundamental design and inherent capabilities of the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) to address a rich range of complex real world conflict situations are put into perspective by tracing its historical development over a period spanning more than thirty years, and highlighting great opportunities for meaningful future expansions within an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and intensifying conflict in an over-crowded world. By constructing a sound theoretical foundation for GMCR based upon assumptions reflecting what actually occurs in reality, a fascinating story is narrated on how GMCR was able to expand in bold new directions as well as take advantages of many important legacy decision technologies built within the earlier Metagame Analysis and later Conflict Analysis paradigms. From its predecessors, for instance, GMCR could take advantage of option form put forward within Metagame Analysis for effectively recording a conflict as well as preference elicitation techniques and solution concepts for defining chess-like behavior when calculating stability of states from the realm of Conflict Analysis. The key ideas outlined in the paper underlying the current and projected capabilities of GMCR include the development of four different ways to handle preference uncertainty in the presence of either transitive or intransitive preferences; a wide range of solution concepts for describing many kinds of human behavior under conflict; unique coalition analysis algorithms for determining if a given decision maker can fare better in a dispute via cooperation; tracing the evolution of a conflict over time; and the matrix formulation of GMCR for computational efficiency when calculating stability and also theoretically expanding GMCR in new directions. The basic design of a Decision Support System for permitting researchers and practitioners to readily apply the foregoing and other advancements in GMCR to tough real world controversies is discussed. Inverse engineering is mentioned as an AI extension of GMCR for computationally determining the preferences required by decision makers in order to reach a desirable state, such as a climate change agreement in which all nations significantly cut back on their greenhouse gas emissions. Although GMCR has been successfully applied to challenging disputes arising in many different fields, a simple climate change negotiation conflict between the US and China is utilized to explain clearly key concepts mentioned throughout the fascinating historical journey surrounding GMCR.

Speaker Bio: Keith W. Hipel is University Professor of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo where he is Coordinator of the Conflict Analysis Group. He is Former President of the Academy of Science within the Royal Society of Canada, Senior Fellow of the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Fellow of the Balsillie School of International Affairs, and Past-Chair of the Board of Governors of Renison University College. Dr. Hipel thoroughly enjoys mentoring students and is a recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, Faculty of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award, and the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision from the University of Waterloo, as well as the Outstanding Engineering Educator Award from IEEE Canada. His major research interests are the development of conflict resolution, multiple criteria decision analysis, time series analysis and other decision-making methodologies for addressing complex interdisciplinary system of systems engineering problems lying at the confluence of society, technology and the environment, with applications in water resources management, hydrology, environmental engineering, energy, and sustainable development. Prof. Hipel is the author or co-author of 5 books, 12 edited books, more than 330 journal papers, as well as many conference and encyclopedia articles (over 14,850 citations; H-index = 56, i10-index = 272). Dr. Hipel is the recipient of the Officer of the Order of Canada title; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Eminent Scientist Award; Joseph G. Wohl Outstanding Career Award from the IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics (SMC) Society; IEEE SMC Norbert Wiener Award; three Honorary Doctorate degrees (France, Hungary, Canada); Miroslaw Romanowski Medal and the Sir John William Dawson Medal (Royal Society of Canada); Ven Te Chow Award from the Environmental and Water Resources Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers; Jiangsu Friendship Medal; Engineering Medal for Research and Development from Professional Engineers Ontario; and Foreign Member designation of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States of America.

Prof. Eugenio Oliveira, LIACC, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto

Title: The Quest for Beneficial AI

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence has been around for several decades but it is now becoming mature enough to make an indelible imprint on the society.
After going through several short periods of time in which AI winters were declared, since excessive promises had proved to be difficult to fulfil, we are now facing a definitive shift that make even mega companies to preach an ``Artificial Intelligence-first'' kind of world.
We here clearly state our belief in AI potentialities while warning against the current hyping of its near future, arguing in favor of a more cautious interpretation of the AI-based systems potential outreach. AI is nowadays experiencing a new age of social recognition as well as increasing the need for ethical responsibility. A number of relevant applications are indeed improving human life quality through helping and collaborating in solving complex problems, diagnosing and predicting, gaming and entertainment and Intelligent Robots development.
Although Artificial Intelligent is fascinating and has a tremendous social impact, our main ethical concern should mostly be about autonomous “Intelligent software” developed in the AI field for many different purposes including to control autonomous Robots.
Intelligent Robots, strategic games winning programs or the more modest AI assistants, are all creatures of artificial intelligence and machine learning, built with the best intentions. The danger is that they will behave in accordance with the information we feed them, which is often incomplete, unbalanced or biased. Moreover, they can evolve and learn guided by either the best or the worst ethical principles. Hyping AI may lead once again to suggest wonderful horizons that we are not at all sure they will happen. This does not prevent us from discussing the possibility of approaching some kind of Artificial General Intelligence that could make us think about artificial consciousness. However it is mandatory that AI and Robotics main objectives must always be to maximize the realization of human values.
We finally advocate a set of practices and principles that may prevent the development of AI- based programs and systems prone to be misused for the bad of humans and raise some ethical issues that are being discussed since now.

Speaker Bio: Full Professor in Artificial Intelligence at University of Porto. Recently retired.
Co-Founder, Director (2011-16) of LIACC (AI and Computer Science Lab), University of Porto.
Co-Founder and Director of the Doctoral Program in Informatics Engineering, University of Porto.
PhD in Artificial Intelligence at the New University of Lisbon, 1984.
Gulbenkian Prize for Science and Technology, 1984.
"Guest Academic" at IBM/IEC, Belgium (84-85).
He successfully supervised 22 PhD students.
He was Coordinator for and partner in AI-based research projects.
He published about 400 scientific papers.
Topics of interest: Cooperation and Trust for Software Agents; "Emotional-like" Agents, Text Mining, Multi-agents; Deep Learning.

Prof. Stephan Lukosch, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Title: Designing for Augmented Humans and Intelligence

Abstract: Over the last years, significant and highly visible results have been achieved using Artifical Intelligence (AI). Based on those, AI is the reigning world champion in games such as checkers, chess, Jeopardy, Go or Quake 3. However, there are still several disciplines in which humans remain leading, mainly because AI lacks qualities like experience, creativity or leadership. Exactly those qualities make humans great in innovation and design.
Instead of focusing on improving AI, I advocate to use AI to augment humans and human intelligence. In such a way, human-centred intelligent systems as well as intelligent user interfaces can be created that either amplify existing or create new human skills and capabilities. Such augmented humans and augmented intelligence will allow humans to exceed their capabilities, go beyond current human capabilities and offer new experiences. Athletes could, e.g., receive real-time feedback on how to optimally use their resources. Police agents could, e.g., based on their current location and environment receive notifications on urgent tasks to be performed.
Over the last years, I have explored the design of augmented humans and intelligence in the domains of sports, health and safety & security. In my talk, I present my recent research and discuss resulting design recommendations for augmented humans and intelligence. I conclude with an agenda for future research on augmented humans and intelligence.

Speaker Bio: Dr. rer. nat. Stephan Lukosch is associate professor at the Delft University of Technology, Netherlands. His current research focuses on designing engaging environments in mixed reality. Using mixed reality, he researches environments for virtual co-location in which individuals can virtually be at any place in the world and coordinate their activities with others and exchange their experiences. Using serious games, he researches on how to create effective training or assessment environments. In his research, he combines his recent results from intelligent and context-adaptive collaboration support, collaborative storytelling for knowledge elicitation and decision-making, and design patterns for computer-mediated interaction. His articles appeared in various journals including the Journal of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), International Journal of Human Computer Interaction or IEEE Pervasive Computing. He is a steering committee member the European Society for Socially Embedded Technologies (EUSSET). He further serves on the editorial board of the Springer Journal of Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), Journal of Universal Computer Science (J.UCS) and the International Journal of Cooperative Information Systems (IJCIS).