IVADO’s program of thematic scientific semesters offers interdisciplinary events aimed at exploring major challenges in artificial intelligence (AI). Overseen by an international scientific committee, each semester is designed to catalyze significant advances in strategic areas of AI, while integrating diverse perspectives to tackle complex challenges with an interdisciplinary approach.
Current and Upcoming Thematic Semesters
Statistical Foundations of AI
May to August, 2026
This thematic semester devoted to the statistical foundations of AI offers a timely and rigorous opportunity to strengthen the conceptual and technical link between statistics and AI and has the dual objective of strengthening fundamental research while empowering the statistical community to critically evaluate and innovate in AI applications in various contexts.
The Governance of AI
From August to October 2026
Regulating AI is not simply a matter of enacting laws. It involves different levels, sectors, and values, as well as how various disciplines can engage in dialogue to address these issues. This thematic semester, organized by IVADO in collaboration with AISSAI, addresses the governance of AI in all its complexity through workshops and conferences covering the scales and domains of governance, sector-specific challenges, and the values that governance mechanisms must uphold.
Registration begins on June 15, 2026
How’s nature today? Biodiversity forecasting and planning with AI
From April to August 2026
Biodiversity decline threatens the ecosystems humanity depends on. This thematic semester brings together leading researchers in computer science, biodiversity modelling, climate science, and environmental policy to advance biologically realistic AI models, produce policy-aligned forecasts, and develop rapid-response indicators tracking progress toward the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework targets.
Registration opening soon
Past Thematic Semesters
Computational Ingredients of Reasoning
From January to March 2026
This thematic semester brings together researchers from the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive science, neuroscience, philosophy, and the social sciences to study the mechanisms that enable intelligent reasoning in both artificial and biological systems.
Autonomous LLM Agents: Risks and Scientific Challenges
August to November, 2025
While large language models continue to transform our daily lives, a new revolution is brewing in research labs and in the industrial world: autonomous agents. IVADO, a centre of excellence in AI…
Large Language Models and Transformers
January to May, 2025
IVADO invites you to Berkeley, California, to take part in a thematic semester organized in collaboration with the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing.