AI Days at UWB: When artificial intelligence helps doctors, teachers, and nature

Myths and facts about artificial intelligence, its role in everyday practice and its ethical limits were discussed at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering by researchers, students, and the public. The aim was to show AI as a responsible tool and useful partner.

A day full of short popularization lectures and panel discussions as part of the nationwide AI Days 2025 was organized on Friday, 14 November by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL) in cooperation with the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FAV). Not only researchers and students but also interested members of the public could get a glimpse behind the scenes of artificial intelligence and its applications—from hospitals and classrooms to environmental protection. AI was discussed openly and the speakers presented not only its potential but also the risks associated with it.

What one should imagine under the term artificial intelligence and which myths not to believe was explained by František Mach from FEL. His colleague Václav Šmídl demonstrated examples of generative models as a new form of programming, where traditional code is replaced by carefully crafted prompts in everyday language. Jan Švec from FAV spoke about how AI is transforming university teaching. He presented new opportunities for students and educators and pointed out where clear rules are necessary.

“We want visitors to see AI in concrete situations—not just as a buzzword, but as a technology that already improves people’s lives today. At the same time, we emphasize responsibility, ethics and critical thinking. No modern technology can function without these,” summarized the purpose of the event Jan Michalík, Vice-Dean for International Relations and Communication at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

How artificial intelligence can already help people in everyday life was explained by Miroslav Jiřík from FAV. He demonstrated how algorithms assist doctors in interpreting image data in medical diagnostics. His colleague Pavel Král presented the use of AI in processing medical documentation. Visitors could see that artificial intelligence does not replace doctors but functions rather as a second pair of eyes that highlights important connections and saves time.

The technology, however, is not limited to hospitals. AI can also be used to help protect endangered species. It operates on the same principles behind object recognition in photographs. Lukáš Adam from FEL illustrated this with examples from his own research. According to him, AI makes it possible to monitor wildlife and track changes in nature. The technology can thus lead to a better understanding of the impact of human activity on ecosystems.

The panel discussions opened topics that society as a whole is addressing today—impacts on the labour market, personal data protection, responsibility for algorithmic decisions and the need for new digital skills across fields.

According to the organizers, AI Days at UWB confirmed the University’s role as a place where cutting-edge research, practice and public debate meet and showed that artificial intelligence is not just a field for a narrow circle of specialists, but a topic that truly affects everyone.