Between Fascination and Responsibility: “EinBlick” Asks What Artificial Intelligence Does to Us

The lecture series organized by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen will resume monthly this fall, kicking off with two presentations on Artificial Intelligence

Bottom Line

• Continuation of the lecture series: “EinBlick – Research Made Understandable” by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen kicks off this fall with two presentations on Artificial Intelligence and will then focus on modern imaging in neuroscience, the early detection of mental health issues in adolescents via a smartphone app, biologically inspired robotics, and the emergence of genetic diversity.
• Engaging presentation: Researchers present their topics in an easy-to-understand manner and engage in an open dialogue with the audience to bring science to life.
• Monthly series: Starting October 21, the event will take place monthly at 6:00 p.m. in the lecture hall of the Max Planck House on the Max Planck Campus in Tübingen. Participation is free, but registration is recommended. All presentations conclude with a discussion session. Duration: approximately 90 minutes.

Hardly any other topic has sparked such far-reaching debates in such a short time as artificial intelligence. But does that make it good or bad for societies? There is no one-size-fits-all answer: neither general condemnation nor blind trust does justice to this issue. Rather, the real challenge lies in the fact that its rapid developments make it difficult to establish ethical guidelines in a timely and well-founded manner. Meanwhile, the enormous potential of artificial intelligence should not be squandered.

Starting this fall, the German-language lecture series “EinBlick – Research Made Understandable” organized by the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen will address these and other questions. Beginning October 21, 2026, the event will once again bring researchers into monthly dialogue with the public. The program will initially center on Artificial Intelligence, not as an abstract topic of the future, but as something we have long been dealing with on a daily basis and which is also a focus of basic research at the Max Planck Institutes.

Kickoff: What do we learn from AI, and what does it learn from us?

The series opens with early-career researcher Tom Sühr from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. In his talk titled “AI Learns from Us — But What Exactly Do We Learn from It?”, he explores the criteria AI uses to determine when to provide good answers and what we, as humans, can learn from this when interacting with AI.

One month later, on November 25, Marcel Binz, research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, will address the topic “AI as a Research Partner.” He will discuss how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing science itself, and where the boundaries should be drawn.

Both presentations thus address topics that characterize the public debate on Artificial Intelligence. Balancing justified caution with the recognition of tangible opportunities, they highlight what must also be addressed from an ethical perspective.

Program Overview

• October 21, 2026: Tom Sühr, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, “AI Learns from Us—But What Exactly Do We Learn from It?”
• November 25, 2026: Marcel Binz, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, “AI as a Research Partner”
• January 27, 2027: Gisela Hagberg, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, “What Do Fridge Magnets, Old Radios, and Lightning Rods Have to Do with Modern Imaging?”
• February 24, 2027: Tobias Hauser, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics/University Hospital Tübingen, “From a Cell Phone Game to a Brain Check”
• March 24, 2027: Syn Schmitt, University of Stuttgart, “The Bathtub Murder—That Wasn’t One!”
• April 21, 2027: Detlef Weigel, Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen, “What Makes the World So Diverse?”

Popular event with limited seating

“EinBlick — Research Made Understandable” takes place at 6:00 p.m. in the lecture hall of the Max Planck House, Max-Planck-Ring 6, 72076 Tübingen. Following each lecture, which lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes, there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics with the researchers.

There is no charge to attend, but registration is recommended, as there are a maximum of 145 seats available per lecture. Registration is now open at www.kyb.tuebingen.mpg.de/einblick.

About “EinBlick – Research Made Understandable”

“EinBlick – Research Made Understandable” is a German-language lecture series organized by the Max Planck Campus Tübingen and coordinated by the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen. Aimed at a broad audience, it offers new insights and perspectives on a monthly basis, focusing on basic research at the Max Planck Campus Tübingen and its three resident Max Planck Institutes for Biology, Biological Cybernetics, and Intelligent Systems. The goal is to communicate complex research in an accessible way and to promote direct dialogue between the scientific community and the public.