Experts to discuss shift from AI software to physical machines

The Institution of Engineering and Technology Cyprus Local Network will host a public roundtable in Nicosia on March 12, examining how artificial intelligence is moving beyond software into machines that interact with the physical world.

The event, titled “The AI-Robotics Era. Are You Ready?”, will take place from 18.30 to 20.30 at the Cleopatra Hotel.

The discussion is expected to focus on the growing convergence between artificial intelligence and robotics, a technological shift that is increasingly reshaping industry, cities and everyday life.

Speakers will examine how intelligent machines are entering sectors beyond traditional manufacturing and what this transformation means for skills, careers and society.

The panel discussion will bring together researchers and technology entrepreneurs working at the intersection of robotics, machine learning and applied artificial intelligence.

Among the speakers is Novatex Solutions director and European Centre for Emerging Competencies and Technologies founder George Georgiou, who has more than three decades of experience in robotics, industrial automation and intelligent systems and has participated in several European innovation initiatives.

The roundtable will also feature University of Cyprus Department of Mathematics and Statistics lecturer and Imperial College London honorary lecturer Xenia Miscouridou, whose research focuses on statistical machine learning and complex data modelling.

Another speaker is Open University of Cyprus Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences dean Jahna Otterbacher.

Otterbacher also directs the Cyprus Center for Trustworthy AI and works on responsible and human-centred artificial intelligence systems.

The panel will further include Robo and HardwareX Engineering managing director Odysseas Economides, who works on robotics hardware, embedded systems and edge artificial intelligence solutions for education, research and industry.

The discussion will be moderated by Panis.News founder and editor Panis Pieri, whose media platform focuses on developments related to artificial intelligence, startups and innovation.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to software,” said IET Cyprus chairman Alkis Spyrou.

“When combined with robotics, it begins to interact directly with the physical world,” he added.

“This raises new opportunities but also new responsibilities,” Spyrou stated.

The programme will begin with registration at 18.30, followed by the roundtable discussion at 19.00.

The event will conclude with a question and answer session with the audience between 20.00 and 20.30.

Attendance is open to engineers, researchers, students and anyone interested in the future of artificial intelligence and robotics.

Participation requires pre-registration, with further information available through the official event page of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.