Workshop at Stanford University: HPI team in California

Since 2024, HPI and Stanford University have been collaborating on a research collaboration on “Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence”. Mixed teams of scientists from both institutes are working together on projects related to human-centered AI. Following a workshop at HPI last year, a joint research workshop was held on campus in California this June. The workshop brought together researchers from the research collaboration between HPI and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI).  

Marija Petrovic is heavily involved in this collaboration. Her role at HPI is to strategically develop and manage academic partnerships and coordinate exchange programs for doctoral students. Her first lasting impression was of the Stanford University campus. “It is unlike any other campus I have seen,” she explains. "It’s set in a desert and with lots of space so they cannot overbuild and have to keep green spaces."

Valentin Teutschbein is the only HPI bachelor's student participating in the collaboration

The workshop agenda focused on exchange between and within the international project teams. Professors from both institutes presented the current status of the projects, and everyone had the opportunity to find out exactly what the others were working on, give each other feedback, inspire each other, and get to know one another. On the second day, the individual groups had the opportunity to get together in their teams and continue working on their projects. The program was complemented by a guest lecture by HPI professor Gerard de Melo, a campus tour, and a joint excursion to Shoreline Lake. The popular destination in the middle of Silicon Valley is ideal for cycling, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. 

“A big personal highlight was meeting my research group at Stanford University,” says HPI student Valentin Teutschbein. He is the only bachelor's student involved in the research collaboration. “I had the opportunity to present our joint project in the specialist groups and spend time with the students involved.”

“Despite all our technological advances there is nothing quite like being in the same space with the people,” Marija agrees. “You make contacts more quickly, you see each other in a less formal setting, and that makes interaction and communication much easier.”

Human-centered AI: Keeping users in focus

The ongoing research projects deal with different facets of human-centered AI systems: From social networks and e-commerce to medicine, writing, producing, and searching for content. Artificial intelligence is used in almost all of these interactions. While the research focus of the collaboration between HPI and Stanford has been heavily on the algorithmic side so far, the actual interaction between humans and these intelligent systems will now take center stage.

“AI is everywhere, but it is still very unreliable,” is Marija's conclusion from the joint workshop days. “It is very important not to lose sight of human users and the possible consequences for them at all stages of AI development,” adds HPI professor Niclas Böhmer, summarizing his main learnings.

The HPI team also had plenty of new experiences outside the workshop. Niclas attended a Major League Baseball game at Oracle Park. “The stadium with probably the most beautiful view I've ever been to,” he enthuses. 

Just like in the movies: Tech culture is part of almost every conversation

Marija was particularly impressed by the tech culture in Palo Alto: “Things really look like in a film – what people wear, the bikes, the cars and just about every random conversation you overhear is about some new IT technology, startup or app.”

The next workshop in the collaboration is planned for spring 2026, this time again at HPI.  

More about the research collaboration between HPI and Stanford University can be found here. 

The directors of the program are Prof. Ralf Herbrich, head of the AI and Sustainability research group at HPI, and James Landay, co-director of HAI, Stanford.