Pantelis Kaplanoglou Represents Anatolia University in Panel on AI, Innovation, and Sustainable Development
On March 28, 2026, Pantelis Kaplanoglou, faculty member at Anatolia American University and Chief AI Officer of ARX.NET, participated as a panelist at the 20th “Innovation & Development” Polyconference, organized by ka-business.gr in Thessaloniki.
The conference brought together representatives from business, academia, research, and public life to discuss the new models of sustainable development and entrepreneurship. Mr. Kaplanoglou’s participation highlighted the outward-looking role of Anatolia American University, an institution that welcomes students from around the world and actively connects academic learning with international research, innovation, and emerging technologies.
During his presentation, which was also followed online by thousands of viewers through the conference livestream, Mr. Kaplanoglou focused on Artificial Intelligence, its current challenges, and the opportunities it can create for Greece when approached with both technical expertise and social responsibility.
His talk had three main goals. First, he offered a clear introduction to what AI is, addressing common misconceptions and drawing on examples from CS345 – Applied Machine Learning and Deep Neural Networks, a course offered as part of Anatolia American University’s Computer Science program.
He then outlined some of the key challenges facing state-of-the-art AI today, emphasizing the European approach of Trustworthy AI: systems that are lawful, ethical, and technically and socially robust. Particular attention was given to the importance of high-quality data, reminding the audience that meaningful machine learning outcomes depend on the quality, relevance, and reliability of the data used to train models.
The final part of the presentation turned toward a broader vision for the development of Trustworthy AI in Greece. Mr. Kaplanoglou discussed how the country’s strong academic talent, combined with its potential in renewable energy, could support the development of mini data centers for accelerated computing. Such an approach, he noted, could contribute not only to academic excellence, but also to regional development and the emergence of a new high-tech industry in Greece.
Mr. Kaplanoglou’s presence at the conference also reflected Anatolia American University’s active engagement with research and innovation ecosystems, including participation in Horizon Europe research activities. Through contributions such as this one, AAU faculty help bring advanced technological topics into public dialogue, while connecting students’ academic experience with the real-world questions shaping the future of industry, society, and responsible innovation.
