On 20 June, the Técnico Innovation Center powered by Fidelidade hosted the inaugural session of the new series of talks ‘Artificial Intelligence in Interaction with the Physical World’, focusing on the theme ‘AI around us’. This event, organised by Instituto Superior Técnico and the Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa), brought together Técnico professors, researchers from the Laboratory of Robotics and Engineering Systems (LARSyS) and a curious audience, in an innovative environment. The debate took place against the backdrop of Leonel Moura’s exhibition “Art with Science”, showcasing images generated by robots, emphasising the impact of artificial intelligence on our daily lives.
The panel featured speakers Arlindo Oliveira, José Santos-Victor, Patrícia Figueiredo, Paulo Ferrão, and Tiago Domingos, all professors at Técnico. The session was moderated by Pedro Lima, President of ISR-Lisboa, and Porfírio Silva, a long-time collaborator of the Institute.
José Santos-Victor started his speech with an approach inspired by biology, using examples of organisms like tunicates and jumping spiders to illustrate the various ways of perceiving and interacting with the physical world. He emphasised the importance of developing computer architectures based on biological principles, which hold great potential for future intelligent systems – which will be explored in more depth during the next talk on October 3, titled “Industry of the Future: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Services”.
Paulo Ferrão highlighted the importance of AI for urban sustainability, stating, “It’s a positive development that AI has emerged at this time”. He explained that to build more sustainable cities, it is crucial to understand citizens’ behaviour and adapt urban systems to the global context. Paulo Ferrão believes that AI‑based models will enable the optimisation of governance using real data. This topic will be further examined in the talk “Smart Cities and Smart Homes: How Artificial Intelligence Transforms Common Space”, scheduled for 21 November 2025.
Tiago Domingos provided an environmental and economic perspective, stressing the need to balance prosperity with ecological responsibility. He noted that while the industrial revolution brought productivity gains, it also led to homogenisation in agriculture. Now, with AI, there is potential for personalised efficiency that maintains productivity while promoting richer and more balanced agricultural practices. This subject will be discussed during the talk “Intelligent Networks for a Sustainable Future: Energy, Water, Environment, and Agriculture,” planned for 12 December 2025.
Patrícia Figueiredo’s contribution focused on the “silent” presence of AI in healthcare. She pointed out that many of us already benefit from algorithms that assist with diagnosis and clinical planning, often without even realising it. Additionally, she highlighted the role of emerging technologies, such as surgical robots and adaptive exoskeletons in rehabilitation, previewing a promising discussion at the health panel titled “Artificial Intelligence in Health: Diagnosis, Treatment and Personalised Care”, scheduled for 23 January 2026.
A special guest at the event, Arlindo Oliveira, provided a brief overview of the history of AI, analysing its advancements and limitations. He noted that the physical world poses the greatest current challenge, as it is unpredictable and dynamic, but he expressed confidence in the progress of robotics. He also emphasised that “AI is much more than just a small box like ChatGPT” and that we will soon be used to increasingly natural interactions between humans and machines.
During the debate with the audience, questions emerged about energy challenges, privacy and the reliability of AI in the physical world. There was also discussion about the role of humans in the age of automation, with a focus on the concept of human‑machine collaboration that enhances, rather than replaces, human capabilities.
The session concluded on an inspiring note from Arlindo Oliveira, who expressed a particular concern for younger generations – curiosity and an experimental spirit will always be fundamental, so that even with increasingly powerful tools, we can continue to understand and critically think about the world.
The inaugural forum marked the beginning of a series of six talks, which will continue until February 2026, always at 5 p.m. at Técnico Innovation Center, where many more questions will be addressed.
This text was written in collaboration with ISR-Lisboa.
