Everything AI: Technology and Legal Issues

The Social Artificial Intelligence Night (SAINT) of the Department of Computer Science & Security at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences is a highlight for scientists, industry partners, and enthusiasts in the field of artificial intelligence in Austria as it allows them to engage in exchange on the latest advancements and projects. This year’s specialist conference addressed legal and technical questions pertaining to the use of AI.

Nikolaus Forgó from the University of Vienna’s Department of Innovation and Digitalisation in Law held the keynote of the SAINT 2025 on the topic “Ist der AI-Act wie die DSGVO nur schlimmer? Ein Streifzug durch die juristische Grottenbahn“. His lecture gave an overview of the AI Act and its implications for the legal situation in Austria.

Improving Regulations to Safeguard Fundamental Rights

“It is important to regulate AI. On the one hand, we need to make sure that we are internationally competitive and sovereign in Europe. On the other hand, though, we have to – finally – become aware that non-European companies have other priorities and follow different values than those anchored in the EU”, explains Forgó.

“We want to and must maintain and expand our fundamental rights. This takes not more but better regulation which, in turn, requires improved education, objective positioning beyond political success rhetoric, and better collaboration between politics, industry, and interdisciplinary research”, he adds.

“The technology surrounding artificial intelligence is rapidly developing at the moment. This affords us many exciting applications, but it also gives rise to questions regarding legal framework conditions, secure and trustworthy application, ethical concerns, and implications for IT security”, says the event’s organiser Sebastian Eresheim, Junior Researcher at the Institute of IT Security Research at the St. Pölten UAS.

Global Contest for Cutting-Edge Technology

Further lectures were dedicated to Europe’s strength in the competition with the USA and China when it comes to the development of AI, efficient decision-making processes in data-intensive sectors like aviation, the risk of easily created cyber attack using AI tools, and the question of how AI can be used to detect fake news.

“Our SAINT offers experts and all interested parties a unique platform for introducing and discussing new developments in artificial intelligence”, says Marlies Temper, Academic Director of the study programmes Data Intelligence (MA) and Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (BA) at the St. Pölten UAS.

Specialist Fair for Companies

Within the framework of the SAINT 2025, a specialist fair was held that allowed companies from the field of artificial intelligence to present their work to the audience.

• Social Artificial Intelligence Night (SAINT)