In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems are rapidly transforming various sectors, a book by a multidisciplinary group of scholars offers a timely and critical examination of these technologies from a human-centered perspective. The open access book delves into the ethical, humane, and holistic aspects of AI and autonomous systems, emphasising their impact on human lives and ways of working.

A major new book on the ecology and management of one of the most destructive invasive weeds in Africa, is now available online.

The book, titled The Ecology and Management of Invasive Prosopis Trees in Eastern Africa, is the outcome of a large, decade-long collaborative research project, involving   six universities and eight institutes from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States of America (USA).

Artificially intelligent systems and robots are becoming ubiquitous in our lives, including automated vehicles, delivery robots, and AI assistants. However, as research and development on this field increasingly turns towards imbuing such systems with artificial awareness, we must ask ourselves: what are the ethical implications of doing so? How can challenges, benefits and responsibilities be defined across stakeholders, from developers and policymakers to end-users? And how do we ensure that these technologies align with societal values while mitigating risks?

These pressing topics formed the focus of the 2nd Workshop "Inside the Ethics of AI Awareness," held at Uppsala University on November 11, 2024. Organised by the SymAware consortium alongside other EIC-funded projects in the “Awareness Inside” portfolio, the workshop addressed topics such as the governance of AI ethics, ethical dimensions of multi-agent systems, and the implications of designing value-aware and metacognitive AI systems.

Participants engaged in an interactive workshop on ethical considerations, exploring how these technologies can be responsibly integrated into society. Discussions focused on key stakeholders, such as policymakers, developers, and the public, as well as the potential risks and benefits associated with aware AI, including transparency, accountability, and human-AI collaboration.

A new study published in National Science Review examines China's trends in primary particulate matter (PM) emissions from 1960 to 2019, revealing significant transformations in PM size fractions and carbonaceous compositions. Despite an overall decline in emissions, finer particles like PM2.5 and carbonaceous fractions (e.g., black carbon and organic carbon) have increased. These findings underscore the critical role of technological advancements and policy-driven measures in shaping the trajectory of air quality improvements.