The Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), a member of the European University of Brain and Technology (NeurotechEU), organized the Winter School: “Challenges and Risks of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology in Times of Artificial Intelligence” and the Summit on Dimension 8 of NeurotechEU: Neurometaphysics. This event brought together around 40 attendees interested in exploring the intricate intersections between neuroscience, neurotechnology, and artificial intelligence, approached from ethical and legal perspectives.

The attendees were welcomed by the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Cooperation, Vicente Micol, and by the director of the UMH Crímina Centre and organizer of the Winter School, Fernando Miró Llinares.

Over the three days, students and researchers from diverse fields and backgrounds attended talks delivered by renowned experts, including Roberto Andorno, María Isabel González Tapia, Francisco Javier Castro, Aníbal Astobiza, Eduardo Demetrio, and Emilio José Armaza. The Winter School provided a platform to delve into the complex intersections of neuroscience, neurotechnology, and artificial intelligence, approached from ethical and legal perspectives.

The course focused on analyzing how these disciplines impact human rights and society. Participants had the opportunity to learn about topics such as the ethics of artificial intelligence, neuro-rights, and the legal and social implications of applied neurosciences. Furthermore, the risks associated with the integration of artificial intelligence in this field were discussed. The diversity of approaches enriched the debate, thanks to the contributions of prominent experts in bioethics, philosophy, law, and technology.

NeurotechEU is an alliance funded by the ERASMUS+ program of the European Union and the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain. At UMH, the initiative brings together professors and researchers in neuroscience and neurotechnology, supported by technical staff from the International Relations Service and the Vice-Rectorate for Internationalisation and Cooperation at UMH. In addition to UMH, the partner universities include Radboud Universiteit (Netherlands), Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (Germany), Boğaziçi Üniversitesi (Turkey), Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie din Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Université de Lille (France), and Háskólinn í Reykjavík (Iceland).