The Liverpool Advanced Methods for Big Data Analytics (LAMBDA) Research Centre hosted an interdisciplinary workshop on Machine Learning and AI on Thursday 11 December at the School of Law and Social Justice.
The one-day event brought together over 60 researchers from the University of Liverpool, across the UK, and from international institutions to explore cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and machine learning.
Organised by LAMBDA Director, Professor Abderrahim Taamouti, in collaboration with Professor Xiaowei Huang (University of Liverpool) and Professor Taylor. T Johnson (Vanderbilt University, US), the workshop provided a platform for sharing innovative methodologies and examining how AI techniques are shaping research across disciplines.
Across ten keynote talks, speakers presented work spanning reliable agentic AI, deepfake detection, geopolitical risk modelling, data-driven research strategy and the systemic risks emerging from AI-shaped information networks.
Discussions highlighted how frontier models are increasing productivity and enabling new forms of research, while also raising serious ethical and societal challenges.
Reflecting on the workshop, Professor Xiaowei Huang (University of Liverpool, Department of Computer Science) emphasised the importance of collaboration at this critical juncture for AI research, noting that interdisciplinary dialogue is essential “not only to understand the limits of current technologies, but also to identify where they can deliver meaningful benefits to society.”
Attendees praised the workshop’s interdisciplinary environment, which encouraged debate and knowledge exchange.
Professor Taylor Johnson commented that the event “highlights how bringing together perspectives across disciplines is essential for confronting the ethical challenges, systemic risks and reliability concerns that come with deploying generative AI.”
PhD student and LAMBDA member Claire Lebrun also reflected on the value of the day: “I found the workshop very enriching… events like this are essential for PhD students to develop our ideas and broaden our perspectives.”
Closing the event, Professor Taamouti highlighted that importance of interdisciplinary dialogue in advancing AI research and addressing complex real-world challenges.
The workshop concluded with strong momentum for future LAMBDA initiatives and continued cross-disciplinary engagement in AI and machine learning.