Antrittsvorlesung von Prof. Dr. Selma Saidi 4. November 2025 | 17:00 h - 19:00 h
Designing Thinking Machines: Reasoning in the Era of Physical AI
Imagine a future where machines do more than just perform tasks; they reason, understand, and collaborate in ways similar to humans. The pursuit of machines capable of reasoning has a rich history, from Alan Turing’s foundational work to today’s rapid advancements in robotics. As artificial intelligence becomes integrated with physical systems, we are witnessing a transformation in how machines operate within human-centered environments, requiring not only precise actions but also the ability to reason about their behavior with safety and societal considerations in mind.
In this talk, I will share my vision for shaping the design of safe autonomous systems, emphasizing the need for a new computational paradigm. Leveraging recent developments in information technology that facilitate data sharing and autonomous systems collaboration, this pathway would enable machines to aggregate knowledge, engage in collective reasoning, and make decisions collaboratively.
I will conclude with an outlook on the potential impact of these innovations for science, technology, and society, highlighting opportunities to build a more interconnected, transformative, and inclusive future.
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Selma Saidi is a W3-Professor of Computer Engineering at the Technical University of Braunschweig. With over ten years experience in hardware and software design for safety-critical systems, She is dedicated to creating safe and trustworthy computing. She completed her doctorate at VERIMAG, an internationally renowned institute founded by Turing Award laureate, where she set standards in designing reliable embedded systems.
Passionate about contributing and transforming innovative and fundamental ideas into practical solutions, Selma Saidi leverages a strong background in formal methods, hardware/software co-design, and system safety. Her research emphasizes cutting-edge applications in automotive technology, avionics, aerospace, and human assistive robotics, collaborating with industry leaders such as Airbus, ONERA, Bosch, and BMW.
She is the initiator of the European Initiative on Autonomous Systems Design (ASD). She is developing autonomous systems that are safe, trustworthy, and socially responsible, from assistive technology for the blind and visually impaired to broader societal benefits.
Selma Saidi ist W3-Professorin für Computer Engineering an der Technischen Universität Braunschweig. Mit über zehn Jahren Expertise in der Hardware- und Softwareentwicklung für sicherheitskritische Systeme widmet sie sich der Schaffung sicherer und vertrauenswürdiger Rechensysteme. Sie promovierte in Frankreich am VERIMAG, einem international renommierten Institut, das von Turing-Preisträgern gegründet wurde, und setzte dort Maßstäbe bei der Entwicklung zuverlässiger eingebetteter Systeme.
Mit Leidenschaft für die Umsetzung und Transformation innovativer und grundlegender Ideen in praktische Lösungen verfügt Selma Saidi über einen fundierten Hintergrund in formalen Methoden, Hardware-/Software-Co-Design und Systemsicherheit. Ihre Forschung konzentriert sich auf hochmoderne Anwendungen in den Bereichen Automobiltechnik, Avionik, Luft- und Raumfahrt sowie assitive Robotik, wobei sie eng mit führenden Industriepartnern wie Airbus, ONERA, Bosch und BMW zusammenarbeitet.
Sie ist Initiatorin der Europäischen Initiative für das Design autonomer Systeme (ASD). Ihr Ziel ist die Entwicklung autonomer Systeme, die sicher, vertrauenswürdig und sozial verantwortungsvoll sind, von assistiver Technologie für Blinde und Sehbehinderte bis hin zu breit gefächerten gesellschaftlichen Nutzen.
Lecturer
Prof. Dr. Selma Saidi, Institut für Computer Engineering