Closing words

17:15 to 17:30 PM
Studio 4

As the day draws to a close, this final session will offer a moment to look back on the rich exchanges that have shaped the conference. We will revisite the ideas, provocations, and perspectives shared throughout the day. Together, we’ll explore how the presence of AI, robots, and autonomous agents invites us to rethink our roles, responsibilities, and possibilities in co-constructing a more inclusive and thoughtful future.

Meet the speakers

  • Karen Boers

    SPEAKER

    Co-Director at FARI - AI for he Common Good Institute Brusels

    Karen is an impact entrepreneur known for challenging the status quo in technology, entrepreneurship, and digital skills. She founded and led initiatives such as Startups.be, the European Startup Network, BeCentral, and BeCode, focusing on developing and recruiting diverse talent. Recognized as one of the top 50 most influential women in the European startup and venture capital space from 2016 to 2020, she was nominated as ‘ICT Woman of the Year’ in 2019 and named among ‘Inspiring Fifty’ in 2021 and ‘Radical Innovator’ in 2022. Currently, Karen runs the Brussels-based AI Centre for the Common Good and is a sought-after speaker on corporate social responsibility, leadership, diversity and inclusion, talent acquisition, psychosocial well-being, and impact finance.

  • Silvia Erzeel

    SPEAKER

    Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel

    Silvia Erzeel is Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science and the VUB Centre for Democratic Futures. Between 2021-2024, she is chair of the program board of the VUB programs in Political Science (Bachelor Politieke Wetenschappen, Master Democratie en Leiderschap and Master European and International Governance).

    Her research interests focus on the causes and consequences of gender and social inequalities in representative democracy, and how representative democracy is innovated to include the views and needs of all. She often studies these topics from a comparative perspective, using survey research and/or in-depth interviewing.