In this opening interview, Schmidhuber will explore how AI systems that model, simulate and compress reality fit into our evolving understanding of scientific method and truth in an age of simulations. Are these systems merely reproducing human biases via their models, or can they genuinely uncover deeper structure in the world? Join Jürgen Schmidhuber to discuss what it means for intelligence, creativity and science when our theories and simulations increasingly dominate our interaction with reality.

As science leans on simulations over real-world tests, critics warn of bias. Join us for our headline debate to asks if simulations reveal truth or simply reflect assumptions, and what is at stake for research and policy.

Join Philip Mirowski as he argues that our understanding of AI has been shaped by science-fiction rather than the real forces transforming how knowledge is produced and commercialised. In this talk he explores how market logics, declining trust in expertise and the automation of research are creating a new regime of truth that is already reshaping what counts as knowledge.