ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Université de Montréal in Canada will host an international conference on the future of interfaith dialogue in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) from October 19 to 21.
Organised by TRENDS Global, part of TRENDS Group, in cooperation with the University Platform for the Study of Islam (PLURIEL), the Université de Montréal and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), the conference will bring together 32 academics and researchers from 11 countries.
The conference builds on a research initiative launched by TRENDS in the UAE last February.
Structured around four main scientific themes, it will examine the role of generative AI in the production of religious knowledge and opportunities to employ intelligent technologies in translation and understanding cultural contexts, alongside challenges associated with algorithmic bias, digital polarisation and hate speech.
TRENDS researchers will participate in the conference with specialised research papers examining the reliability of AI as a mediator in dialogue, how extremist organisations employ intelligent technologies in radicalisation, and rethinking the plurality of contemporary Islam in the digital sphere.
The event will also feature research and experimental workshops to test DIALOGIA, an AI-powered platform designed to analyse religious discourse and facilitate dialogue without exclusion.
The platform is scheduled for a pilot launch on the conference's final day, which will also see the announcement of the establishment of a specialised international research working group to strengthen scientific cooperation and develop shared methodologies.