The Rice Global Paris Center will host a series of international conferences this spring and summer examining one of the defining technologies of the moment: artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming the global economy and raising profound questions about how technology intersects with society,” said Caroline Levander, Rice’s vice president for global strategy. “By convening scholars from multiple disciplines and countries in Paris, Rice is helping shape the international conversation about how AI should be developed, governed and used.”
The series begins April 27-29 with “Emerging Topics in Operations Management: Platforms, Blockchains and AI.” The workshop will bring together scholars studying how digital platforms, distributed ledger technologies and AI are transforming the production and delivery of goods and services. Researchers will examine questions surrounding platform governance, supply chain transparency and the growing role of machine learning in forecasting demand and managing operations.
“Econometrics and AI,” set for May 5-7, will convene economists, statisticians and data scientists from Europe and the United States to exchange research and develop new collaborations. Organizers aim to create an environment that encourages scholars to move beyond presentations and begin developing joint research projects connecting econometrics, AI and data science.
The June 3-5 conference “Human Flourishing in the Age of AI” will bring philosophers, engineers and policy scholars together to examine how increasingly capable AI systems may affect human agency, creativity and moral responsibility. Organized collaboratively by Rice’s Department of Philosophy and the School of Engineering and Computing, the event will also include discussions of responsible AI and a policy roundtable examining governance approaches across different regions.
In July, researchers will gather at the Paris Center for “On the Crossroads of AI and Society: Incentives, Privacy and Fairness.” This workshop will explore how algorithmic systems interact with real-world institutions, markets and public policy. Topics include incentive-aware AI design, privacy protection and the challenge of addressing bias and fairness in automated decision-making systems.
The four conferences reflect the inherently interdisciplinary nature of AI. Computer scientists and engineers contribute expertise in algorithms and systems design, economists analyze incentives and market behavior, and scholars in philosophy and public policy examine the ethical and societal implications of the technology’s rapid adoption.
Hosting the gatherings in Paris situates the discussions within one of Europe’s fastest-growing technology ecosystems. The city has emerged as a major hub for AI research and entrepreneurship with a dense network of universities, startups and global companies working in the field. Paris is also home to Viva Technology, Europe’s largest technology conference.
This year’s VivaTech conference will focus on the theme “AI: Impact, Not Illusion,” highlighting the shift from early excitement around generative AI to questions about measurable outcomes and real-world value. As AI becomes embedded in products, services and public infrastructure, attention is shifting toward which systems deliver measurable improvements and which remain experimental.
Paris is also the site of a new initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s leadership in the field. The World Economic Forum and VivaTech recently announced the launch of the European Centre for AI Excellence, part of the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution network. The initiative aims to bring together businesses, policymakers and researchers to develop AI solutions that support economic growth while addressing societal challenges.
“Paris has quickly become one of the most important global hubs for artificial intelligence research, entrepreneurship and policy,” Levander said. “For Rice, having a presence in the city allows our scholars to engage directly with that ecosystem while building collaborations that connect Europe and the United States around the future of AI.”
AI is also a central focus of Rice’s long-term vision for research and global engagement. In the university’s 10-year strategic plan “Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact,” Responsible AI is identified as one of the key catalysts guiding the institution’s work across disciplines. The initiative aims to position Rice as a global leader in understanding the ethical, societal and technological dimensions of AI while advancing interdisciplinary research and partnerships that address complex global challenges.
The conferences at the Paris Center reflect that approach in practice. By bringing together economists, engineers, philosophers and policy experts alongside international collaborators, the Paris Center provides a setting where scholars can examine both the opportunities and consequences of artificial intelligence while building new research partnerships across Europe.
Learn more about upcoming conferences and workshops at the Paris Center here.