6th International Open Search Symposium #ossym24 at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center of the BAdW | Media Release
Experts from research, business, NGOs, tech and civil society are tackling the issues surrounding tomorrow’s safer European web search.
– The Open Search Community meets from 9 to 11 October at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center (LRZ) in Garching
– Prominent keynote speakers introduce ways to achieve digital sovereignty
– Workshops and panels offer opportunities for participation and discussion
The 6th International Open Search Symposium #ossym24 invites you to discuss and promote ideas and concepts of open web search at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BAdW) in Garching from 9 to 11 October, 2024. Since its launch in 2019, #ossym has provided an annual forum that brings together various players in the open search community. This year’s focus lies on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Search Applications and Technologies as well as the legal, economic and ethical aspects of open web search.
Also on the agenda: strategies for curating content and building engagement – for a collaborative internet.
Renowned Keynote Speakers provide insights on ethical, societal and economic issues
Five speakers will be giving talks and ignite discussions on hot topics in the digital information age:
Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Minister of State for Federal Affairs and Media, will open the event on 9 October with a personal welcome address.
Roberto Viola is Director General for Communication Networks, Content and Technologies at the European Commission. He will comment on the great importance of open web search and the pursuit of digital sovereignty in Europe.
Martin Andree, Bestselling Author (“BIG TECH must go!”) and Media Scientist, will provide important food for thought on the subject of internet search and democracy in his talk “The Internet of monopolies. How we are taking back the net”.
Nina Leseberg, Head of Communities & Engagement at Wikimedia Deutschland, will share insights into the exciting world of community-based curation and quality assurance of Wikipedia entries.
Richard Socher, CEO of You.com, shows how artificial intelligence is changing search engines – and therefore our everyday lives.
Many players, several tracks, one forum
Several lectures within the Science Track will address the topics of
- Crawling and the infrastructure,
- new Search Applications and Technologies,
- Data Pre-processing and Machine Learning for search as well as
- Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
The Industry Track is dedicated to Alternative Search Engines and new business models for finding information on the Internet.
Various sessions and workshops will address further ethical, legal and technical issues relating to different aspects of Internet use and digitization.
What the hosts are saying
“We look forward to the Open Search Community and many new impulses for better web search and use. As the host of #ossym and a long-standing supporter of Open Search, we are fully committed to transparent technologies, open web search, science and democratic values – because one cannot exist without the others.”
Dieter Kranzlmüller, Head of the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre
“Searching the internet is often the first step on the way to obtaining information and therefore a prerequisite for forming an opinion. This central process must not be controlled by a few tech companies. We believe that access to information must be open and transparent – and we are not alone in this. The Open Search Symposium is a forum for all pioneers and advocates of free internet search. Together we can make a difference and if you want to be part of it, come to #ossym.”
Stefan Voigt, Chairman of the Open Search Foundation
Information and Registration
The #ossym24 is organized by the Open Search Foundation in cooperation with the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) of the BAdW. The symposium will take place in a hybrid format. Registration is required for both on-site and online participation. Participation in both formats is free of charge. There are 100 places available for on-site participation at the Leibniz Supercomputing Center in Garching near Munich. Information on registration can be found at: https://opensearchfoundation.org/en/events-osf/ossym24/h Foundation e.V.
About Leibniz Supercomputing Centre
The Leibniz Supercomputing Centre of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities has been the competent IT partner of Munich’s universities and colleges as well as scientific institutions in Bavaria, Germany and Europe for over 60 years. It offers the complete range of IT services and technology as well as consulting and support – from e-mail and web servers to Internet access, virtual machines, cloud solutions and the Munich Scientific Network (MWN). With the supercomputer SuperMUC-NG, the LRZ is one of the leading international supercomputing centers and focuses on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning and quantum computing in the field of future computing.
About Open Search Foundation
The Open Search Foundation e.V. is a European movement that creates the basis for independent, free and self-determined access to information on the Internet. In cooperation with research institutions, data centers and other partners, we are committed to a web search that benefits everyone. True to the motto: “Together for a better net”.
Contact:
Leibniz Supercomputing Center
Sabrina Schulte
Open Search Foundation e.V.
Stefan Voigt
