The First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence commenced on Tuesday, February 26, at the International Conference Center of this university and will continue until Wednesday, February 27. The opening ceremony of this conference was attended by Dr. Hossein Afshin, Vice President for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, Dr. Fatemeh Mohajerani, Spokesperson of the Government Cabinet, and Dr. Seyed Mahmoud Reza Aghamiri, President of Shahid Beheshti University.
According to the Public Relations Office of Shahid Beheshti University, at the beginning of the ceremony, Dr. Aghamiri, President of Shahid Beheshti University, welcomed the Iranian and foreign professors and researchers participating in this international conference. He stated: “The concern that exists in the global community today is about the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. If this modern technology continues to expand, what will happen? In this regard, 18 drawbacks and challenges of artificial intelligence have been raised, which, in my opinion, are exaggerated. Why should we fear a power that we ourselves are creating?”
He continued: “The first major criticism AI faces is whether we are aware of the risks associated with its expansion. We should not be worried because we are the creators of artificial intelligence. It is humans who have developed AI to the point where it can now create things itself. Naturally, we will always be one step ahead of it, and its management remains in our hands and under human control. If the algorithm is designed correctly, the AI system will function properly.”
The President of Shahid Beheshti University emphasized that AI must be properly controlled to ensure that it brings the greatest benefits to social life and the global community.
Dr. Aghamiri pointed out that machine learning has been promoted and researched for several years. Work has also been done on natural language processing, genetic algorithms, and other related areas. He stated that artificial intelligence has taken a step forward, and we have the ability to control this technology to alleviate concerns.
He further explained: “I have studied these 18 identified problems, and I have found that all of them can be resolved. Of course, some issues are personal, such as job losses, but this does not mean we should leave this technology unchecked. The risk of leaving it uncontrolled would be greater. AI must be developed in a well-planned and thoughtful manner. In some cases, we only realize the challenges midway through progress because we did not anticipate them in advance. In the field of artificial intelligence, we must prevent such situations from occurring.”
Shahid Beheshti University Leading the Government Smart Assistant Project
Dr. Mohsen Ebrahimi Moghaddam, the conference chair and another speaker at the opening ceremony, emphasized the importance and necessity of holding the Artificial Intelligence Conference. He stated: "In recent years, artificial intelligence has become one of the leading global trends, creating a massive wave. Undoubtedly, if we do not build a boat for this wave, it will lead to our failure."
He highlighted that the Faculty of Computer Engineering at Shahid Beheshti University felt a social responsibility, adding: "We must take action to manage this wave and its planning, playing our crucial role. The oldest engineering faculty in the country is housed at Shahid Beheshti University, and this faculty will be a key player in this field." The Dean of the Faculty of Computer Engineering and Science stated: "In our planning discussions, we sought measures to bring together three essential pillars—universities, governance, and industry—to foster convergence. The main goal was to align these three pillars and create a common discourse. Another important aspect for us was to organize a distinctive conference."
He further noted: "The government is currently implementing the Smart Assistant project, and Shahid Beheshti University, along with its Faculty of Computer Engineering, will be its two main coordinators. We hope to achieve significant advancements in this regard."