ETH & TUM Joint Lab Retreat - Davos 2025
Snow-covered mountains provided the perfect backdrop for our collaborative retreat, January 29th-31st, 2025.
At the end of January, our group embarked on a journey to the snowy wonderland of Davos for a retreat with the Ethics of AI and Neuroscience group of the external page Institute for History and Ethics of Medicine at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), led by external page Prof. Marcello Ienca. In addition, the retreat was joined by expert guests Barry Solaiman (Hamad Bin Khalifa University), Elettra Ronchi (WHO, Europe Consultant), Nadia Magklara (University of Athens), and Timo Minssen (University of Copenhagen).
Over three days the group connected, learned from one another, and engaged in insightful exchanges on topics at the intersection of ethics, medicine, technology, and policy. For example, conversations developed around how to effectively translate ethics into policy, governance, technical, and curricular contexts, and how to evaluate the ethical implications of integrating predictive and generative AI into patient care settings, among many more.
The Program
The retreat kicked off with introductions, showcasing the diverse research interests and backgrounds of all participants. This was followed by in-depth presentations of ongoing research projects, highlighting areas of shared interest and providing valuable opportunities for constructive feedback. Later, guest experts shared their diverse experiences of navigating the complexities of AI regulation, international policy, and medicine. They shed light on the unique opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities associated with ethical work in technical universities and beyond. The formal program concluded with discussions on career pathways and navigating peer review processes within transdisciplinary fields.
Beyond the formal program, the retreat also presented ample opportunity to connect and engage. Group dinners were characterized by dynamic conversations and afternoon breaks were marked by mountain walks, skiing, sledging, and exploring the city of Davos.
Summary
The retreat provided a wonderful opportunity for the lab to connect with colleagues from across the bioethics community and for grounded reflection on the impactful contexts of our work and the evolving technological and regulatory landscapes shaping the field. Much appreciation to Prof. Effy Vayena, Dr. Sara Kijewski, Kristi Moore, and the rest of the team involved for their efforts in planning, coordinating, and running the retreat – looking forward to next year!
