Open data, academia, and ethics: Join our upcoming webinar on AI‑generated and synthetic data
Exploring how researchers can responsibly use emerging data sources in an era of generative AI
Can we always trust the data we use in research? As artificial intelligence increasingly generates data, texts, and even complete datasets, this question is becoming more urgent. In academia, where reliability and transparency are essential, the rise of AI‑generated and synthetic data creates both new opportunities and complex ethical challenges. To explore this topic, the data.europa academy is hosting an upcoming webinar focused on responsible data use in research.
The webinar, titled ‘Open data, academia, and ethics: responsible use of AI‑generated and synthetic data in research’, will take place on Friday, 5 June 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 CEST. This 60-minute session is open to everyone and is particularly tailored to those working in or with academia. It is the second episode of a three-part series that examines how open data and emerging technologies influence research practices, integrity, and public trust.
This session will focus on the practical realities of using synthetic and AI-generated data in research. Synthetic data refers to data that is artificially generated to resemble real-world datasets, often used when access to real data is limited due to privacy or availability. The first speaker in this webinar is Thomas Lampert, Professor and former Chair of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at the University of Strasbourg, who will introduce synthetic and AI‑generated data from a technical and analytical perspective, explaining how these forms of data are created and used in practice. Using examples from medical imaging and remote sensing, he will highlight both the opportunities and the challenges these technologies present for research and decision‑making
After that, Ella Hafermalz, associate professor at KiN, will examining how generative AI and synthetic data are reshaping research processes and influencing trust in data-driven work. She will discuss both the opportunities and the challenges, helping participants understand how these data sources are applied in practice and what this means for responsible research.
If you are interested in how open data, AI, and research ethics intersect, this session offers practical guidance and critical perspectives to support responsible data use. Register now to secure your place and explore how emerging technologies are shaping the future of academic research.
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