Wolfgang PRIBYL

The JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH carries out top-level international research and plays a key role in technology and knowledge transfer, both nationally and internationally. Handling research, technology and innovation responsibly is a high priority. That is why JOANNEUM RESEARCH has been involved in the “Geist & Gegenwart” Whitsun Dialogues for many years. The theme of this year’s Whitsun Dialogue is “Digital Europe”. Digitalisation penetrates all aspects of research, and JOANNEUM RESEARCH institutes have been engaged in it right from the start. Digitalisation offers all kinds of new opportunities for science and research, but it also raises questions about ethical conduct which it has not yet been possible, and still is not possible, to answer satisfactorily. Who will take responsibility in the future for the behaviour of self-driving cars, or for the “humane” care provided by care robots? The DIGITAL and ROBOTICS institutes are addressing these and similar questions. I am delighted that JOANNEUM RESEARCH is this year able to take an active part in these two areas of research.