Faculty of Engineering - Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

🤖 How did ChatGPT learn more than 80 languages?

Artificial Intelligence is already part of our everyday lives — from web searches to route planning and digital assistants. But what really happens inside an AI system?

On 17 June at 17:00, unibz invites the public to the event:

“A journey inside an artificial brain: what really happens inside AI?”

Organised in collaboration with the unibz AI-Lab, the event will offer an accessible introduction to how Artificial Intelligence works, with a special focus on Large Language Models such as ChatGPT.

🎙️ Raffaella Bernardi, Professor of Natural Language Processing at the Faculty of Engineering, will introduce the scientific ideas that have shaped the development of today’s language models.

🎙️ Aurelie Herbelot, founder of Denotation UG, will present an interactive system used in schools to explain how neural networks learn and use knowledge in conversations with humans.

The event also concludes the Lectures on Computational Linguistics 2026, organised by AILC in collaboration with unibz and Eurac Research.

An opportunity to explore the strengths, limits and future of AI — from speech recognition and dialects to multimodal language models and human–robot interaction.

📍 unibz Campus, Bolzano city centre
📅 17 June 2026
🕔 17:00
🌍 Open to the public

https://www.unibzmagazine.it/en/magazine/article/come-ha-fatto-chatgpt-a-imparare-piu-di-80-lingue

Come ha fatto ChatGPT a imparare più di 80 lingue? Il 17 giugno unibz ospita l’evento aperto al pubblico “Un viaggio all'interno di un cervello artificiale: cosa accade realmente all'interno dell'IA? ” dedicato al funzionamento dell'IA.

🌍 How can AI recognise speech, interpret images, understand dialects, and engage in increasingly natural conversations with humans?

From 15 to 17 June, Bolzano will become a meeting point for students, researchers, and experts from across Europe for the Lectures on Computational Linguistics 2026, an international event dedicated to the latest developments in Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Artificial Intelligence.

Organised by the Italian Association for Computational Linguistics (AILC) in collaboration with the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and Eurac Research, this year's edition focuses on the societal impact of language technologies and AI. Participants will explore topics ranging from speech recognition and multilingual language models to embodied AI, interpretability, and AI-powered education.

🎓 Featuring internationally renowned speakers, including:
• Barbara Plank (LMU Munich)
• Julia Hockenmaier (University of Illinois)
• Elia Bruni (University of Osnabrück)
• Barbara Schuppler (TU Graz)
• Aurélie Herbelot (Denotation UG)
and many other leading researchers in the field.

💡 Through tutorials, hands-on labs, poster sessions and public lectures, the event offers a unique opportunity to explore the technologies that are shaping the future of human–machine communication.

At a time when AI is transforming the way we work, learn and communicate, understanding language technologies has never been more important.

📍 Bolzano, Italy
📅 15–17 June 2026

Learn more about the programme 👇

https://www.ai-lc.it/en/lectures-2/lectures-2026/program/

🚀 Thinking about studying Engineering at unibz?

The Faculty of Engineering at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano is now an official TOLC-I test centre, offering prospective students the opportunity to take the admission test directly on our campus.

📍 Taking the TOLC-I at unibz is a great way to get to know our university, explore our degree programmes, and experience the international and innovative environment that makes our Faculty unique.

🎓 If you are considering a future in engineering, this could be your first step towards joining our community.

Read the article to learn more about upcoming TOLC-I sessions and the opportunities offered by the Faculty of Engineering 👇

🔗 https://buff.ly/2swQd32

unibz diventa sede dei test TOLC per Ingegneria Ora gli studenti e studentesse dell’Alto Adige non dovranno più spostarsi fuori provincia per sostenere l’esame per l’ammissione ai corsi di laurea in Ingegneria.

♟️ SUNRISE European University Alliance CHESS TOURNAMENT ♟️

Ready for a strategic challenge?

As part of the SUNRISE European University Alliance activities, we are pleased to invite all students and staff from our university to participate in the Online SUNRISE Chess Tournament.

📅 12 June 2026
🕓 16:00 CEST
💻 Online via Chess.com

This friendly competition is a great opportunity to connect with members of the SUNRISE community across Europe through one of the world's most fascinating games of strategy and skill.

🏆 Open to all students and staff, regardless of chess experience.

🤝 The tournament is supported and sponsored by Chess.com.

📝 Registration is mandatory:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8BZWP6_YY4vIAwCID9NqW_fMuYWw3WHHCYDryZiKHwtH-RQ/viewform

♟️ Join us, challenge your peers, and become part of the SUNRISE chess community!

How creative is AI, really? 🤖
A study by our Faculty, in collaboration with the University of Trieste, compares how ideas are generated by humans vs. AI. Researchers analyzed responses from 81 students and ChatGPT-4o using established psychological tasks.
The findings are clear: the most creative humans still produce the most original ideas. ChatGPT performs in the middle—outperforming less creative individuals, but not matching top performers.
The research highlights AI’s value as a tool to support idea generation, while also raising questions about the risk of homogenizing creativity.
The study was presented at the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, where it received a Best Paper Award.

Quanto è creativa l’intelligenza artificiale? Uno studio unibz esplora come nascono le idee confrontando esseri umani e algoritmi di Intelligenza Artificiale.

Big news from Bolzano! 🚀

Ontopic, the first spin-off from the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (unibz), has been acquired by Digital Science.

A pioneer in Virtual Knowledge Graph technology and the team behind the widely used Ontop framework, Ontopic has been at the forefront of transforming complex, fragmented data into meaningful knowledge.

This acquisition marks an exciting step forward in making research data more accessible and enabling powerful, enterprise-grade AI solutions worldwide. 🌍

Congratulations to the Ontopic team on this milestone!

Ontopic, the first spin-off from unibz, has been acquired by Digital Science The British technology company has announced the acquisition of Ontopic, a pioneer in the field of virtual knowledge graph technology.

Alumni Homecoming:🔍Are you passionate about ethical design in digital games, AI, and social media?
All unibz alumni are invited to join our upcoming discussion group, "Dark Patterns in Software Systems: Ethics in the Age of Digital Games, Artificial Intelligence and Social Media".
Led by moderators Eduardo Martins Guerra and Katharina Isabel Brickenstein Hofschen, this session will explore the impact of manipulative design practices on users and consider ways to promote transparency and user control.
Secure your spot and be part of this important dialogue by signing up!

Discussion groups 26 – unibz Alumni Homecoming Discussion groups 2026 Please choose during your registration the discussion group you would like to join. Dark Patterns in Software Systems: Ethics in the Age of Digital Games, Artificial Intelligence, and Social Media Participants:  min 8    max 40 Dark patterns are deceptive or manipulative de...

Alumni Homecoming: Excited to participate in a dynamic discussion group on “Hydrogen and Decarbonization of the Energy System”?
🌱 This session dives into the latest advances in hydrogen technology and explores actionable strategies for decarbonizing energy systems worldwide, with a focus on both innovation and economic sustainability.
Looking forward to learning from experts like Prof. Massimiliano Renzi (Professor of Fluid Machines and Energy Systems) and Mohamed Koubassi (Business Development Manager, VERBUND Green Hydrogen GmbH), and connecting with participants passionate about driving the global transition to cleaner energy.
Secure your spot and be part of this important dialogue by signing up!

Discussion groups 26 – unibz Alumni Homecoming Discussion groups 2026 Please choose during your registration the discussion group you would like to join. Dark Patterns in Software Systems: Ethics in the Age of Digital Games, Artificial Intelligence, and Social Media Participants:  min 8    max 40 Dark patterns are deceptive or manipulative de...

🚀 Are you a young researcher under 35? This opportunity is for you!

Applications are now open for the 15th edition of the Premio Nazionale GiovedìScienza, a national contest designed for young researchers who want to:
✨ Showcase their research
🎤 Improve their science communication skills
💡 Explore the entrepreneurial side of science

The contest offers cash prizes, training opportunities, and the chance to engage with the public and schools—highlighting research not just for its quality, but for its real impact on society.

📅 Apply by: Tuesday, 3 March 2026 at 1:00 PM
🔎 Find out more and apply here: https://www.giovediscienza.it/it/premio-quindicesima

🔐 CyberChallenge.IT 2026 : A Free Training Path for Young Talents
Registrations are open until January 25!

This free cybersecurity training programme is organised by the Cybersecurity National Lab of CINI (Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l’Informatica) with the support of the Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale, and promoted by the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.

Designed for young people aged 16 to 24, the programme offers hands-on training and an introduction to careers in cybersecurity.

💻🚀 Learn, train, and shape the future of digital security!

https://www.unibzmagazine.it/en/magazine/article/cybersecurity-al-via-il-percorso-gratuito-che-forma-i-giovani-talenti?

Cybersecurity. Al via il percorso gratuito che forma i giovani talenti Fino al 25 gennaio sono aperte le iscrizioni alla CyberChallenge. IT 2026, il corso di formazione sulla cybersicurezza promosso da unibz e dedicato ai giovani tra i 16 e i 24 anni.