The event, held on 13-14 April, 2024, was part of the ongoing research project OPtiMaL, funded by the Sino-Malta programme of the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST). H.E. John Busuttil, Ambassador of Malta in the People鈥檚 Republic of China, opened the event.
Ambassador Busuttil's Visit
Ambassador Busuttil's visit to China underscored the strong diplomatic and academic ties between Malta and China. His presence at the AI workshop highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in the field of AI, and emphasised the significance of the OptiMaL project in driving innovation and contributing to the global AI landscape.
During his visit, Ambassador Busuttil engaged with researchers, students, and stakeholders, discussing the potential of AI to transform various sectors, including games, education, and autonomous driving. His insights and support were highly appreciated by the attendees, further strengthening the bond between the two nations.
H.E. John Busuttil, Ambassador of Malta to China
The AI Workshop: A Hub of Innovation
The workshop featured an array of insightful sessions and keynotes from esteemed speakers. Highlights included:
- Welcome Address by Jialin Liu (SUSTech, China).
- Keynote 1: Human Feedback via Games by Prof. Georgios N. Yannakakis (University of Malta, Malta).
- Keynote 2: What Comes After Human-Centered AI? by Prof. Jichen Zhu (IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark).
- Keynote 3: The Promise of Multi-objective Sequence Learning by Prof. Mike Preuss (Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands).
- Keynote 4: Pioneering 2D Image Generation for AAA Games by Alexis Rolland (Ubisoft La Forge, China).
- Keynote 5: AI for Tabletop Games by Prof. Diego Perez-Liebana (Queen Mary University of London, UK).
- Keynote 6: What鈥檚 Next for Adversarial Search Techniques? by Prof. Mark Winands (Maastricht University, Netherlands).
- Keynote 7: Empowering Game Designers with Automatic Playtesting by Dr. Raluca D. Gaina (Queen Mary University of London, UK).
- Keynote 8: Text2Game: Text-conditioned Generation of Game Levels and Other Game Things by Prof. Julian Togelius (New York University, USA).
The workshop also featured presentations of several technical publications by the OptiMaL team, showcasing their ground-breaking research in areas such as Monte-Carlo Tree Search, optimisation algorithms, and bias mitigation in machine learning.
Prof. Georgios N. Yannakakis / Institute of Digital Games, University of Malta
OptiMaL Project: A Glimpse into the Future
The OptiMaL (Online Procedural Content Generation via Multi-objective Optimisation and Learning) project is a collaborative initiative between the Institute of Digital Games, at the University of Malta and SUSTech. Launched in October 2023, the project aims to revolutionise procedural content generation by integrating multi-objective optimisation and reinforcement multimodal learning algorithms. With applications spanning from digital games to autonomous driving, the project is set to make significant contributions to the fields of AI and human-computer interaction.
Support from MCST
The Malta Council for Science and Technology has been a pivotal supporter of the OptiMaL project. The council's funding and resources have been instrumental in driving the project's objectives and fostering international collaboration. MCST's commitment to promoting scientific research and innovation aligns perfectly with the goals of the OptiMaL project, ensuring its success and impact.
Looking Ahead
Development of Innovative AI Algorithms : The project has successfully developed new generative AI algorithms that enhance procedural content generation, making it more efficient and adaptable to various domains. Publication of Research Findings : The team has published numerous technical papers, contributing valuable insights to the fields of AI and computational intelligence. Successful Workshops and Conferences : In addition to the recent workshop in China, the OptiMaL project has organised and participated in several international conferences, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration among researchers. Collaborative Research and Development : The partnership between the University of Malta and SUSTech has resulted in significant advancements in multi-objective optimisation and learning, demonstrating the power of international collaboration.
