Rector Rosa M. Crujeiras highlighted at the opening session that artificial intelligence is often approached solely in terms of technological progress, but stressed the need to ask more fundamental questions to understand transformations and decide the future. Crujeiras emphasized the responsibility of universities to help society comprehend these changes and foster informed public debate, contributing to the development of technologies that respect human rights and democratic values.
Also participating in the opening ceremony were the Secretary General of Universities, José Alberto Díez de Castro; the Dean of the Faculty, Martín Pereira Fariña; the Director of the Institute of Research in Humanities of the USC (iHUS), Laura Mª Lojo Rodríguez; and the president of the organizing committee and coordinator of reFIA, Professor Xavier de Donato Rodríguez.
For three days, the Faculty will be a space for reflection for philosophers and researchers from various disciplines. The program includes plenary lectures, communications, and thematic symposia. Invited speakers include Mark Coeckelbergh (University of Vienna), Adela Cortina (University of Valencia), Javier Echeverría (EHU), Migle Laukyte (Pompeu Fabra University), and Vincent C. Müller (Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg).
Parallel sessions and symposia will cover topics such as artificial consciousness, algorithmic governance, ethics and responsibility, language and human-AI interaction, creativity, education, and the social and political implications of these technologies.
The reFIA, a non-profit academic organization, was established in 2025 at USC to create a common ground for philosophical reflection on artificial intelligence. Its international scientific committee is chaired by Professor Xavier de Donato Rodríguez, president of the network, which aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and knowledge exchange on the dimensions of AI.
