Programme

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Day of the Liberal Professions 2025

Conference - When Artificial Intelligence and Authentic Intelligence join forces: the future of the Liberal Professions

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10.30 – 11.00 - Opening session

Welcome address by the Liberal Professions Category: Rudolf Kolbe, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and spokesperson of the EESC's Liberal Professions' Category

Keynote speech: When Artificial Intelligence and Authentic Intelligence join forces

  • Ulrich Bodenhofer, Professor in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Hagenberg, Austria

11.00 – 12.00 - Panel 1: AI – The legal framework and ethical challenges 

Moderator: Giovanni Marcantonio, Member of the EESC

The key challenges in AI legislation

  • Anthony Bochon, Lawyer & Assistant at Free University of Brussels (ULB) , representing the European Council of the Liberal Professions (CEPLIS)

The European AI Act – How to ensure fair use of AI applications

  • Miriam D’Arrigo, Legal and Policy Officer at the AI Office of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT)

Ethical rules for liberal professions – How they can tackle AI challenges

  • Anna Maria Bardone, President of the Italian Industrial Property Consultants Institute

12.00 – 13.00 - Panel 2: Securing human needs – The most effective use of AI applications in liberal professional services

Moderator: Martin Böhme, Member of the EESC

The interdependence of AI applications and liberal professions’ services

  • Stephan Hofmeister, President of the German Federal Association of the Liberal Professions

Embodied AI – Building trustworthy machines for human-centered professions

  • Robert Katzschmann, Assistant Professor of Robotics at ETH Zurich

Legal and financial security in the framework of AI applications

  • Gordon Micallef, Chairperson of the Digital Committee, Malta Institute of Accountants

13.00 – 14.30 - Lunch Break

14.30 – 15.45 - Panel 3: Sustainable quality of life – The role of Liberal Professions and their AI tools

Moderator: Marie-Françoise Gondard-Argenti, Member of the EESC

AI-related challenges and developments in the higher education of Liberal Professions

  • Anikò Szalai, Professor of International Law at the University of Szeged

The European Bauhaus Initiative – Enhancing Baukultur with AI tools?

  • Ajna Nickau, Board Member of the real estate management of the Protestant Church District Association of Berlin Mitte-West

AI and sustainability – A human-centric approach

  • Margherita Pagani, Director of the Skema Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Paris

Preserving the human factor in times of AI

  • Daniel Alge, President of the Austrian Federal Association of the Liberal Professions

15.45 – 16.15 - Closing session

Reflections from the audience

  • Moderator: Rudolf Kolbe, Member of the EESC and spokesperson of the EESC's Liberal Professions' Category

Summary of discussions and final remarks by the Liberal Professions Category

  • Rudolf Kolbe, Member of the EESC and spokesperson of the EESC's Liberal Professions' Category