Hungarian Conservative

Starting September 2024, Budapest Metropolitan University will offer a specialized programme focusing on the main areas of AI applications in business and finance. The course has been designed not only based on specific IT and data analysis fundamentals but also to comprehensively develop students’ proactive and problem-solving attitudes.

Semmelweis University is Hungary’s best and most popular medical and health science higher education institution, ranked among the world’s top 300. One-third of the 16,000 students are foreign nationals from 115 countries, and the university has active collaborations with leading Western and Eastern universities around the world, including Harvard University and the National University of Singapore, Gábor Orbán, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education highlighted at the ceremony.

‘The character of the educator is a fundamental determinant of the personal development of students, and in addition to professional knowledge, it has therefore been important throughout the centuries to be able to set an example also in the personality of the teacher.’

According to a survey by the MCC Youth Research Institute, 53 per cent of Hungarians aged 15–29 have used ChatGPT or other similar AI tools in the past. A vast majority of them find the new technology useful, with 23 per cent being of the opinion that it is very useful, and 66 per cent that it is rather useful.

Discussing philosophy in general and whether it should be incorporated in education is an everyday topic. In this interview, Cornell University professor Barry Strauss delves into the issue, explaining why philosophy is essential in universities, and also shares his take on AI being used in the classroom.

According to Martin Robinson, the essential question about the use of AI in general is whether it is humans who remain in charge of and part of the process, or not.

The question whether parents should be involved in what goes on in the school comes up frequently. In this interview Anthony O’Hear shares his opinion on the topic, while also discussing the issue of examinations and the inclusion of AI into education.

Political activism in schools, the introduction of politics into the curriculum and the regulation of AI in education are all important questions today. In this interview, Stuart Waiton offers insight into the controversies surrounding these topics.

The new rules prohibit AI applications that could violate citizens’ rights. These include biometric categorization based on sensitive personal data or the creation of facial recognition databases using images downloaded from the internet or closed-circuit television networks.

Deputy State Secretary Szabolcs Szolnoki emphasized that the aim of the government programmes is to ensure the accessibility of digital technologies to as many stakeholders as possible through the involvement of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). The objective of Hungarian EDIHs is to assess the digital maturity of 1,500 small and medium-sized enterprises, provide technical training for 300 entrepreneurs, and offer business development and engineering consultations.

The event featured insightful and fascinating discussions on the possible revival of classical education, the dangers of political activism in the classroom, and the perils of the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.

Throughout the negotiations, Hungary consistently advocated for regulations that support European businesses and developments without unnecessarily increasing red tape, while providing adequate flexibility for member states.

As it was pointed out by the Hungarian Competition Authority, the extraordinary resources required for AI technology are presently monopolized by the largest technological giants, potentially distorting market competition in digital sectors in the future.

The Hungarian Science Festival has been organized since 2003, commemorating the fact that on 3 November 1825, István Széchenyi offered one year’s income from his estates to establish the Society of Scholars, which is considered the predecessor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA).

MFAT State Secretary Levente Magyar stated at a press conference on Monday that Stellantis, which owns fourteen automotive brands, has chosen Hungary as the hub for autonomous driving technology and electrification. ‘We are proud that Hungary…has become one of the leading automotive powers in the world in just under 20 years,’ he said, adding that the country is among the top 20 in terms of automotive production.

The goal of digital public administration is to transition citizens to online management of public affairs, promising speed, ease of use, and data security. A prerequisite for this is the synchronization and integration of relevant IT systems. IdomSoft, the company responsible for state digitalization in Hungary, collaborates with researchers from Pázmány Péter Catholic University.

The Festival of Lights is traditionally one of Berlin’s most spectacular community events in autumn. This year marks the 19th edition of the ten-day festival, with nightly projections taking place at 43 locations, including several iconic landmarks. The Hungarian Cultural Institute is participating with a partly AI-generated video animation based on the most popular poems of iconic 19th century poet Sándor Petőfi.

An innovative continuous authentication solution of Cursor Insight, a Hungarian-founded cybersecurity firm, has been recognized as the Cyber Defence Product of the Year at the British National Cyber Awards 2023.

In addition to popular and spectacular chemistry experiments and anatomical tours, for the first time, a rescue helicopter will also be featured among the attractions, landing in front of Debrecen University’s central building. There, organizers will demonstrate the rescue process and emergency care to the interested visitors. Work with therapy dogs will also be showcased in Hajdúszoboszló and Debrecen.

Dr Zijian Győző Yang of the Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics stressed in a recent interview that Hungarian researchers are lucky that in Hungary, more and more research institutes have access to large supercomputers. His institute also recently acquired such a supercomputer, which enabled the Hungarian researchers to compete with their international rivals.

In the latest episode of the Blue Planet podcast, Hungarian company Waterscope’s patent called the ‘smart hydrant’ was discussed. The invention allows the collection of data in places where it would otherwise be impossible, due to lack of electricity or signal.

Transcribing and captioning audio and video files becomes virtually effortless with Alrite, including for those wishing to transcribe and understand Hungarian speech. The revolutionary Hungarian-developed technology offers an array of features that no other similar system does.

The recipe is kept secret and stored on a computer with high-level security measures, with a backup copy being held in a Swiss vault, the Hungarian energy drinks company highlighted in a statement.

AI-based developments are a focal area of the Hungarian branch of the Bosch Group. The company employs this technology in various areas at its Hungarian sites, playing a significant role in manufacturing processes, whether it is data analysis for production optimisation, optical inspection of certain processes, or planning maintenance for production line equipment.

Immersion refers to the state of being fully engrossed. In the context of this exhibition, it means traversable or circumnavigable spaces, objects, and the sequences thereof, where visual and auditory experiences are available in three dimensions.

According to the EP’s position, developers of general-purpose AI systems would only be able to market their products on the EU market after assessing and mitigating potential risks and registering their models in the EU database.

President of the Constitutional Court Tamás Sulyok noted that the pace of technological development is such that it is not possible to understand and regulate it in real-time. Nevertheless, it would be a loss of face for legal practitioners to turn a blind eye while AI enters areas where serious fundamental rights questions arise.

Hungary’s goal is to advance to the top ten best-performing countries in the European Union in terms of digital economic and social development by 2030.

The truth of the matter is that AI is here to stay. It is the future. While we may be some time away before, and if, we are confronted with a ‘HAL’ as the astronauts in Discover One, AI could be apocalyptic if it is under the wrong hands. At the same time, would anyone care to tell us whose are the right hands?

In the past decade, Hungary has been able to reach the EU average in several respects in the fields of oncology, states Prof. Csaba Polgár, Director General of the National Institute of Oncology. An interview about ‘devastating’ OECD statistics, the Hungarian cancer strategy and the suspended EU funds.