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Talk Title:
Towards Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence: Real-World Use Cases, Challenges and Opportunities

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Bio:
Amir Hussain obtained his B.Eng. (1st Class Honors with distinction) and Ph.D. from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, in 1992 and 1997, respectively. Following a UK EPSRC funded Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of the West of Scotland, UK (1996-1998) and a Research Lectureship at the University of Dundee, UK (1998-2000), he joined the University of Stirling, UK, in 2000 where he was appointed to a Personal Chair in Cognitive Computing in 2012. In 2018, he was appointed Professor and founding Director of the Centre of AI and Robotics at Edinburgh Napier University, UK. He holds a number of visiting appointments at leading universities including the University of Oxford, UK and UESTC, China. His research and innovation interests are cross-disciplinary and industry-led, focusing on cognitively-inspired, trustworthy and responsible AI for smart healthcare and industrial systems. He has co-authored around 700 papers including over 370 journal papers and 30 books, and received the 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher Award. He has led major national and international projects, co-founded successful spinouts and supervised over 45 PhD students. He is the founding Chief Editor of Springer’s Cognitive Computation journal and invited Editorial Board member of Elsevier’s Information Fusion and several IEEE Transactions, including, on: Artificial Intelligence; Neural Networks and Learning Systems; Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (Systems); and Emerging Topics in Computational Intelligence. He served as General Chair of flagship IEEE Conferences, including the 2020 IEEE WCCI and 2023 SWC and is currently General Chair for the 2027 IEEE CEC.

Talk Title:
AI-based Analytics for Service Enhancement and Operational Delivery

Abstract:
Telecoms companies are increasingly using AI to personalize services, making wide use of conversational/generative AI technology in customer interfaces, and deploying multiple AI technologies to manage networks and digital infrastructure cohesively. AI has become a central part of both service delivery and operational insight. There is ever-increasing complexity and inter-dependence of cloud-based data storage and analysis systems, and a new level of automation is required that is capable of extracting key elements of information from combinations of systems. An AI-assisted approach can also be used to identify high-risk elements of software at a very early stage of the software development process, increasing the efficiency with which high quality code can be generated. Next generation customer services can be developed and supported through customer behavior analytics – for example, determining types of human activities in both the home and the workplace, enabling applications such as healthcare support and workplace compliance. Novel AI-based personalization algorithms can use data available from a smart home hub to improve user experiences through personalization of services and recommendations throughout the home environment. Process Mining can be enabled through AI to improve understanding of the complex processes that underpin the provision of customer services, identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies, optimizing process completion times, reducing failures, and controlling costs. This lecture will explore AI-enabled technologies that are central to the transformation of telecoms network and service providers, including examples and case studies across a range of services and operations.

Bio:
Bryan Scotney is Professor of Informatics at Ulster University since 2004. He is a former President of the Irish Pattern Recognition and Classification Society and member of the Governing Board of the International Association for Pattern Recognition, and formerly Director of the University’s Computer Science Research Institute (2004-15). He has also recently held a Guest Professorship at Keio University, Tokyo, funded by the Top Global University Project of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology. His research centers on mathematical computation, especially in computer vision, with applications in security, healthcare, and telecoms, and his work has been supported by several EU Framework Programs and the UK Research Councils. Since 2019 he is Principal Investigator in the BT-Ireland Innovation Centre, with funding from Invest NI and BT to lead an extensive collaborative research and innovation program.

Talk Title:
Securing the Intelligent Future: AI Vulnerabilities and AI-Driven Resilience in Hyper-Connected Systems

Abstract:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming the foundational layer of hyper-connected digital ecosystems, spanning cyber-physical infrastructures, communication networks, autonomous platforms, and large-scale distributed services. While AI promises unprecedented efficiency, adaptability, and intelligence, it simultaneously introduces novel and systemic vulnerabilities. Adversarial manipulation, data poisoning, prompt and model exploitation in large language models, and emerging threats against agentic and autonomous systems expose critical weaknesses in today’s AI deployments. Beyond technical exploits, unresolved challenges in transparency, explainability, robustness, and ethics further complicate trust in AI-enabled decision-making at scale. Yet, AI is not merely a source of risk; it is also a powerful instrument for security and resilience. Advances in machine learning are enabling intelligent intrusion detection, adaptive threat mitigation, anomaly detection in dynamic environments, and proactive defense strategies capable of responding to evolving attack surfaces. Recent research demonstrates how AI-driven mechanisms can enhance situational awareness, automate security enforcement, and strengthen system reliability in complex and resource-constrained settings. This keynote explores the tension between vulnerability and capability in AI-powered systems and outlines a forward-looking research agenda toward robust, explainable, and trustworthy intelligent infrastructures capable of operating securely in an increasingly autonomous and interconnected world.

Bio:
Prof. Muhammad Khurram Khan is a global thought leader and influencer in cybersecurity. He is a Professor of Cybersecurity at the Center of Excellence in Information Assurance, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. He is one of the founding members of CoEIA and has served as Manager R&D from March 2009 until March 2012. He, along with his team, developed and successfully managed the cybersecurity research program at CoEIA, which turned it into one of the best centers of excellence in the region.

He was the recipient of the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in Cybersecurity’ in April 2025, a recipient of the ‘Education and Talent Development Award in Cybersecurity’ in Nov. 2025, and a recipient of Cybersecurity Excellence Award ("for making continuous and impactful contributions in the field of cybersecurity over the years") in 2024. His research spans a broad spectrum of cybersecurity, including IoT security, vehicular cybersecurity, AI security and safety, digital authentication, multimedia security, cyber policy, and technological innovation management. He has published over 500 research papers and is the inventor of 12 US patents. He has edited ten books/proceedings published by Springer-Verlag, Taylor & Francis, and IEEE.

Talk Title:
Innovation by Design: Evolving the BT Ireland Innovation Centre for Greater Strategic Impact

Abstract:
The BT Ireland Innovation Centre (BTIIC) was founded over five years ago as a strategic collaboration between BT and Ulster University. Designed as an experimental model for industrial-academic innovation, the centre co-located university researchers, BT researchers, and commercial engineering teams in a single facility. This unique setup has delivered value to both the partner organisations and the wider regional technology ecosystem. As BTIIC completes Phase 1 of its journey and enters Phase 2, this presentation will reflect on the key lessons learned from its early years and how the strategy has been evolved for Phase 2.

Bio:
Cliona has spearheaded a decade-long collaborative programme BTIIC, funded by "BT – Ulster University – NI Government (Invest NI)", aimed at establishing a joint Research and Innovation Centre within BT's Belfast Global Development Centre (GDC). During the initial phase, she has successfully integrated over 30 Ulster University post-doctoral researchers, academics, and 12 PhD students with BT’s Industrial Research and Engineering sectors, specifically in Technology (Digital and Networks). Their research focuses on cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence/machine learning, data science, security, and the Internet of Things. Cliona boasts a multifaceted career in BT spanning Engineering, Architecture, and Business over the past 8 years. Her journey led her to her current role as the head of the Award-winning Innovation Centre in Belfast. Prior to joining BT, Cliona enjoyed a successful career in Corporate Finance with Natwest Group.