Fontys GenAI community explores and advises on the responsible application of generative AI

Fontys assists organisations in deploying generative AI. To this end, Fontys has established the GenAI community. Companies, governments, and educational institutions can call upon the GenAI community with a question, project, or challenge regarding the application of generative AI

Assisting regional businesses with digitisation and innovation

"We see a significant challenge in guiding people in a world where generative AI has suddenly had a massive impact on how we work, learn, and educate. Many businesses, educational institutions, and public organisations are exploring what they can do with this technology, what they want to do, and importantly, what they do not want to do. Fontys sees it as a responsibility to support the region in which we operate in this regard, especially because it involves the application of new technology. This is something we excel at," says Anke Bardie, research manager at the Fontys Knowledge Centre Applied AI for Society.

Within Fontys, researchers are given time and space to address questions from the field. For instance, researcher Erdinç Saçan has already assisted companies, governments, and educational institutions more than 80 times in 2023. "It's gratifying to work in such an applied and demand-driven manner; this way, we truly impact societal issues. And we also learn a lot ourselves," says the researcher.

Generative AI

AI has become indispensable in our society. Both students and professionals are increasingly using it, especially generative AI; a form of AI that can generate texts, images, audio, and other content. However, the growing use of this technology also raises many questions and challenges.

"Since the introduction of ChatGPT in late 2022, there has been a tremendous demand for knowledge about rapid developments in generative AI and how to deal with them. To address this demand, we have mobilised and brought together a diversity of experts within Fontys into a GenAI community," explains Anke. "We are now actively deploying this group of experts to support schools, public organisations, and SMEs in the region in dealing with these developments. Through workshops and knowledge sessions, we aim to raise awareness of what AI is, its impact, and how to use it responsibly."

GenAI community

The GenAI community has been active in recent months, but on 27th February, the Fontys GenAI community will be officially launched for governments, businesses, and knowledge institutions with an AI-related query. In the GenAI community, specialists from various fields come together (including ICT, Marketing, Ethics, Law, Journalism, Business Administration, Healthcare, and Communication). The GenAI community focuses on developing and sharing knowledge about generative AI and its application in various domains.

"A diversity of expertise and experience is crucial. Therefore, we have mobilised experts from various institutes and departments within Fontys. In the future, we aim to further expand the community with experts outside Fontys, creating an active network for sharing knowledge and collaborating to develop new knowledge and solutions for society. Only by working together can we address the rapid developments in generative AI," says Anke.

Do you have a question for the Fontys GenAI community or would you like to participate? Contact Anke or Erdinç via kcaiforsociety@fontys.nl.

Photo: Erdinç Saçan has already been on the road 80 times on behalf of the GenAI community in 2023 to assist organisations with generative AI.