BAI (Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo) held a symposium entitled "Function and Future of Cultured Neurons - Emerging Functionality of Cultured Neurons" on March 2 at SHIBUYA QWS Scramble Hall. A BAI researcher Yoshiho Ikeuchi (IIS, UTokyo) organized the event.

This symposium aimed to facilitate research discussions and knowledge sharing on neurons (nerve cells) cultured in vitro, attracting experts from various fields such as organoids, AI, microcircuit construction, robotics, rehabilitation, and design from around the world. Participants engaged in discussions involving attendees.

The opening remarks were given by the BAI director Masami Hagiya. In the first half of the event, lectures on the construction of neural tissues and circuits were given by Yoshiho Ikeuchi (Associate Professor, IIS and BAI), Hideya Sakaguchi (Research Leader, RIKEN), Hideaki Yamamoto (Associate Professor, Tohoku University), and Jordi Soriano (Associate Professor, University of Barcelona), followed by a panel discussion.
In the second half, lectures on the functionality and application of neurons were given by Urs Frey and Marie Obien (MaxWell Biosystems), Brett Kagan (Cortical Labs), Michela Chiappalone (Associate Professor, University of Genoa), Timothee Levi (Professor, University of Bordeaux), and Miles Pennington (Professor, IIS and BAI UTokyo), followed by a panel discussion.
Numerous questions were raised through Slido from the audience, leading to a lively interaction during the panel discussions.

Thanks to the geographical convenience of Shibuya, the event venue was filled with about 150 attendees with diverse background.
During the networking session following the presentations, active discussions and exchanges regarding cultured neurons took place. This event successfully contributed in expansion of the community around the research.

A meeting for researchers in the Presentation Room at S building of IIS was held on the previous day, March 1.

The events were supported by IIS-CREMeB, UTokyo FSI, SHIBUTA QWS, Foundation for the Promotion of Industrial Science RC-110.

■ Date: 2 Marh (Saturday) 2024. 14:00-18:00 (JST)
■ Venue: SHIBUYA QWS Shibuya Scramble Square (East Building) 15th floor
https://shibuya-qws.com/en/about/outline
■ Language: English and Japanese (Simultaneous interpretation provided)
■ Organizer:
・IKEUCHI Yoshiho Lab., IIS（Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo)
・BAI (Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo)I

■ Speakers
・Michella Chiappalone （Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa)
・Urs Frey & Marie Obien (Maxwell Biosystems)
・Brett Kagan (Cortical Labs)
・Timothée Levi (Université Bordeaux)
・Miles Pennington (The University of Tokyo)
・Jordi Soriano (University of Barcelona)
・Hideya Sakaguchi (RIKEN)
・Hideaki Yamamoto (Tohoku University)
・Yoshiho Ikeuchi (The University of Tokyo) 【Organaizer】

The 59th Research Seminar was held on April 2, 2024.
Title: The Usage Patterns of Digital Technology among Female in Their Late Teens and Twenties and Their Attitudes toward AI/Algorithms
Speaker:
B'AI Global Forum "AI Algorithms and Gender Inequality" Research Group

The 58th Research Seminar was held on March 5, 2024.
Title: Fabrication of high-temperature spinglass iron oxides and control of their magnetic properties for application to brain-type devices
Speaker:
Munetoshi Seki (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo)

The B’AI Global Forum will hold a talk by Dr. Jiré Emine Gözen entitled “From “Data Made Flesh in the Mazes” to “A Vessel that Accepts Nature as It Is”: Media Environments as Infrastructures and Experimental Assemblages to Imagine and Re-imagining AI” on March 19, 2024.

■ Date(s): March 19, 2024 (Tue), 4:00~5:30 pm (JST)
■ Format: On-site (up to 20 participants) & Online Hybrid
■ On-site: ：Room 327, Faculty of Science Bldg.3 (The University of Tokyo, Asano Campus)
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/campusmap/cam01_06_03_j.html
■ Language: English
■ How to register: For on-site participation, please register below by 13 March (Wed); to participate via Zoom please register below by 17 March (Sun).
For on-site participation, please register below by 11 February (Sun).
・Please register the application form below.
https://forms.gle/nB2tC2tgYmeL77367

■ Organizer: B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo
■ Supported by The Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo

■ Inquiry
B’AI Global Forum Office
bai.global.forum[at]gmail.com（Please change [at] to @）

■ Lecturer
Dr. Jiré Emine Gözen（Professor at the Faculty of Art and Design of the University of Europe for Applied Sciences）

Jiré Emine Gözen is a professor of Media and Cultural Theory and teaches at the Faculty of Art and Design of the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin, she has served as Vice-President of International Affairs and University Development since October 2023. She also has been elected as Chairperson of the Gesellschaft für Medienwissenschaft (German Society for Media Studies) since September 2020.
Her research is situated at the intersection of art and theory, focusing on media cultural studies, media aesthetics, and visual culture. Her work is influenced by critical theory, gender and queer studies, postcolonial theories, and new materialistic perspectives, as well as science and technology studies.
Having spent several years living and working in Japan, including working at institutions such as the Mori Art Museum, 3331 Arts Chiyoda, and Design Festa Gallery, her research now centers on narratives and discourses surrounding human-machine relations and AI, future technologies, and posthumanism. Additionally, she critically examines the visual construction of “subversive” masculinity, with a particular focus on Playboy Magazine. She also explores the phenomenon of mimicry in politics, science, and media, delving into figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, as well as alt-right and terrorist movements.

She is an active member of the Forum Antirassismus Medienwissenschaft (Anti-Racism in Media Studies). She has contributed significantly to the field as part of the guest editor team for issue 26 of the Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft (Journal for Media Studies), titled “X|Kein Lagebericht” (2022), which examines the intertwining of racism with (media) science and Western epistemologies. Since 2022, she has co-edited GAAAP_ The Blog of the Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft (Journal for Media Studies), furthering her commitment to advancing critical discourse within the field.

■ Abstract
The interplay between man, machine, nature, and artificial intelligence, explored through speculative narratives in art and literature, significantly shapes societal perceptions and discussions that feed into our shared “sociotechnical imaginaries.” This presentation delves into differing media environments in art and literature as experimental infrastructures and assemblages through which imaginations and re-imaginations of AI unfold. Focusing on William Gibson’s notion of the “Matrix” (1984) alongside Rei Naito’s artwork “母型” (“Matrix”, 2010) situated within the Teshima Art Museum, this presentation discerns contrasting visions of AI and posthumanist futures. While Gibson’s vision evokes echoes of dominant narratives, Naito’s interpretation offers a divergent path, one that intertwines with New Materialist perspectives and paths the way towards indigenous epistemologies.

The 57th Research Seminar was held on February 7th, 2024.
The seminar was closed to the public.

IKEUCHI Yoshiho Lab., IIS（Institute of Industrial Science, UTokyo) and BAI (Institute for AI and Beyond, UTokyo) will hold the workshop "Emerging Functionality of Cultured Neurons".
■ Date: 2 Marh (Saturday) 2024. 14:00-18:00 (JST)
Social gathering at the end of the workshop
■ Venue: SHIBUYA QWS Shibuya Scramble Square (East Building) 15th floor
https://shibuya-qws.com/en/about/outline
■ Language: English and Japanese (Simultaneous interpretation provided)
■ Registration Pre-registration required.
Please register below
https://peatix.com/event/3802383/view
■ Organizer:
・IKEUCHI Yoshiho Lab., IIS（Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo)
・BAI (Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo)I
■ Inquiry
yikeuchi[a]iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp（Please change [at] to @）

■ About the Workshop
Neurons that resemble those in our brains can be cultured in a dish.
How could these cultured neurons gain brain-like functions?
To explore this intriguing subject, researchers focused on 'functionalization of neural cells' will gather.
They will share their cutting-edge discoveries, discuss future directions, and address the challenges in this field.
This workshop welcomes scientists, students, and the general public, offering an accessible and engaging learning experience.

■ Speakers
・Michella Chiappalone （Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa)
・Urs Frey & Marie Obien (Maxwell Biosystems)
・Brett Kagan (Cortical Labs)
・Timothée Levi (Université Bordeaux)
・Miles Pennington (The University of Tokyo)
・Jordi Soriano (University of Barcelona)
・Hideya Sakaguchi (RIKEN)
・Hideaki Yamamoto (Tohoku University)
・Yoshiho Ikeuchi (The University of Tokyo) 【Organaizer】

B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond will hold a Colloquium on Ethical Digital Archiving of LGBTQ+ Narratives
■ Date(s): February Sunday, February 11, 2024 ~ Monday, February 12, 2024
■ Venue: On-site (up to 30 participants), Room 327, Faculty of Science Bldg.3 (The University of Tokyo, Asano Campus)
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/campusmap/cam01_06_03_j.html
■ Language: English
■ Registration Pre-registration required.
Please register below by 1 February (Thursday). A brochure will be sent to your e-mail address a few days before the colloquium.
https://x.gd/xnFUQ
■ Organizer: B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo
■ Inquiry
kyoko.takeuchi[a]iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp（Please change [at] to @）

■ About the Colloquium
This colloquium aims to examine the possibilities and challenges of digital archiving LGBTQ+ narratives from multiple perspectives in relation to ethics, methods, and media technologies, based on the discussions of the three speakers.
For sexual minorities, who are often marginalized in society, it is important to be able to trace their own connections to queer individuals and their communities in the past, and digital archiving efforts have begun in many countries. However, various difficulties with privacy, cost, community trust, etc. have been pointed out, and there have been only a few attempts to create LGBTQ+ digital archives in Asia.
On the first day, in the talk "Logging Queer Pasts: The Challenges of Documenting Early LGBTQ Digital Spaces," Dr. Avery Dame-Griff(Gonzaga University) will discuss the difficulties involved in preservation, design, and privacy in archiving the early LGBTQ Net, based on his book "The Two Revolutions: A History of the Transgender Internet (2023, NYU Press)" and the archiving project "the Queer Digital History Project" (queerdigital.com).
On the second day, we will focus on Asian LGBTQ+ archives.
In their talk "Overview of Japanese LGBTQ+ Archiving Projects and Ethical Concerns," Dr. Kyoko Takeuchi(UTokyo) will summarize the current status and challenges of LGBTQ+ (digital) archiving in Japan to date and discuss the archiving of intersectional experiences that do not fit explicitly into LGBTQ categories.
In addition, Dr. Michelle H. S. Ho's presentation, "Asian Trans Archives: Some Thoughts from Studying Josō (Male-to-Female Crossdressing) and Dansō (Female-to-Male Crossdressing) in Tokyo," will draw on her research on Josō and Dansō in Tokyo to examine the stories of those who fall outside of traditional "Western" national archives and "proper" archiving practices through an examination of what Asian trans archives are.

We hope that this colloquium will lead to cross-regional and cross-disciplinary discussions on LGBTQ+ archiving, and fruitful networking among researchers and students from various backgrounds.

B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond will hold a Lecture by Dr. Cait McMahon titled “Covering trauma: Building mental fitness for journalists” on February 13, 2024.

■ Date(s): February 13, 2024 (Tue), 14:00~16:00 pm (JST)
■ Format: Zoom Webinar (Archived videos will be available until the end of March)
■ Registration Pre-registration required.
For on-site participation, please register below by 11 February (Sun).
・Please register the application form below.
https://x.gd/wZ0dn
■ Language: English (Japanese interpretation) & Japanese

■ Organizer: Study group on Trauma Reporting, B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo

■ Inquiry
kyoko.takeuchi[a]iii.u-tokyo.ac.jp（Please change [at] to @）

■ Lecturer
Cait McMahon (the founding Managing Director of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma-Asia Pacific, an independent consultant for Cait McMahon Consulting)

Dr. Cait McMahon OAM is psychologist and world leader on the intersection of trauma and journalism. She currently works as an independent consultant for CMC (Cait McMahon Consulting) and was the founding Managing Director of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma-Asia Pacific (2003-2021) a project of Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism. In that role she facilitated in-person training with media professionals across 28 nations, many of those in high natural disaster, conflict or post-conflict countries. She continues to consult to individuals and media organisations on trauma exposure and resilience.

■ About the lecture
What should journalists know when listening to people involved in disasters such as earthquakes and torrential rains, war, conflict, incidents and accidents, or when interviewing victims of sexual violence, abuse, etc.? Australian psychologist Dr. Cait McMahon will lecture on these topics.
She is the founder of the Asia Pacific regional office (Melbourne) of the international organization Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma (headquartered at Columbia University, USA), which she managed until 2021. She began working as a staff counselor for The Age newspaper in Melbourne in the 1980s, and since then her interest in journalists and trauma (deep psychological trauma) issues led her to research, giving lectures and trainings in various countries. In 2016, she was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) for her contributions in this field.
Journalists who face trauma in their reporting of tragedies and other events are themselves affected. Her research with Australian journalists has shown that not only are they affected mentally and physically, but also existentially, by questioning the meaning of their work, and that there is not only posttraumatic stress, but also posttraumatic growth. All those involved in news reporting, training and health care in media organizations, and interested professionals are welcome to attend.

The 56th Research Seminar was held on January 9, 2024.
Title: Cosmology results with Subaru HSC data and recent topics on ML applications to cosmology
Speaker:
Masahiro Takada (Professor, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), The University of Tokyo)

B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond will hold a B'AI Global Forum Lecture "Language Education in the AI Era" on January 15, 2024.

・Date(s): January 15, 2024 (Mon), 3:30~5:00 pm (JST)
・Venue: On-site (up to 25 participants) & Zoom Webinar
・On-site：Room 327, Faculty of Science Bldg.3 (The University of Tokyo, Asano Campus)
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/campusmap/cam01_06_03_j.html　
・Registration Pre-registration required.
For on-site participation, please register below by 9 January (Tue); to participate via Zoom please register below by 13 January (Sat).
・Please register the application form below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezxvWKczOH-JsWUKWPmB5lmtZXLReusbUWESh3vu28Nah92w/viewform
・Language: Japanese
・Organizer: B’AI Global Forum, Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo
・Supported by The Institute for AI and Beyond, The University of Tokyo

Abstract:
In this lecture, Professor Yujin Yaguchi, who has been teaching English at the University of Tokyo for a long time and conducted a field study at Duolingo, will discuss the approach to university English education based on advanced initiatives in AI-driven English education, including Duolingo. Following his lecture, Dr. Sho Tsuji, who investigates language development in infants and young children through a neuroscientific approach, and Professor Takane Ito, a linguist with extensive experience in English education at the university level, will provide comments from different perspectives and engage in discussions with the audience.

Lecturers
・Yujin Yaguchi (Vice President; Director, Center for Global Education, The University of Tokyo)
・Sho Tsuji (Lecturer, International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo)
・Takane Ito (Vice President; Project Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, The University of Tokyo)

Moderator
・Yuko Itatsu (Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, The University of Tokyo)

Program:
■ Opening Remarks
・Kaori Hayashi (Executive Vice President; Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, The University of Tokyo)

■ Lectures
Yujin Yaguchi “University Language Education and Generative AI”
How does generative AI impact university language education? In this lecture, we specifically focus on English language education. Can university English education continue as it is now? Is the current method of evaluating English proficiency still effective? The lecture aims to delve into the approach to university English education in the era of ChatGPT and Duolingo/the Duolingo English Test (DET).

Sho Tsuji “Relationship Between Language Education and Generative AI from the Perspective of Language Development”
Is it possible to leverage generative AI in university language education?
Firstly, we will discuss why adults find it challenging to acquire foreign languages compared to children. Based on this, we will explore the differences between the natural learning that children experience in their daily lives and the scholarly learning undertaken by adults. The lecture aims to explore the possibility of generative AI offering a more natural learning approach to a larger adult population.

Takane Ito “The Significance of Engaging with ‘Different Knowledge Systems’”
The impact of AI on university language education can be broadly categorized into (1) the argument for the dispensability of foreign language education due to the development of automatic translation and (2) the specific methods of AI utilization in language education (and their feasibility). In this lecture, we aim to view foreign language education as an opportunity to contextualize the system of the native language, which is an "absolute" presence for children raised in a monolingual environment, to cast doubt on the discourse of (1) and explore its implications for the methods of (2).

■ Q&A/Discussions

■ Closing Remarks
Takane Ito