Competence Center for Generative AI
The Competence Center for Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) explores the potential of algorithms (like ChatGPT or Stable Diffusion) that create new content. We research and provide information, support and consulting. Our goal is to bring a better understanding of the impact of these models on society.
Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new data, some of which is difficult to distinguish from human content. The generated content includes for example text, sound and images. As a result, the technology has implications for many areas of society, including speech processing, music and medicine. As a contribution to a sustainable use and handling of generative AI in education, research and industry, the Competence Center brings together existing experiences, provides the framework for networking and facilitates new projects.
The ZHAW can draw on a longstanding expertise on generative AI. Since 2016, for example, the Center for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) has been working with generative models for language generation and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (IUD) with machine translation tools. The Competence Center for Generative AI unites experts from many different disciplines that analyse and develop generative AI models and investigate their impact on society.
In addition to applied research, development and (further) education courses, our focus is also on services and events. Join us on this exciting journey of discovery and knowledge-sharing!

Focal Points and Topics
- Scientifically sound experiments to assess the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT and similar models.
- Implementation of showcases how generative language models can be used in industry, education, and research.
- Webinars, talks, and presentations to inform the research and industrial communities about the capabilities, limitations, and best practices for using generative language models.
- Meetups and expert meetings with the goal of knowledge exchange and cooperation encouragement among all interested parties in the field of generative language models.
- A point of contact for the public where our experts will answer questions about ChatGPT and similar models via phone or video call (details coming soon).
- A series of blog articles highlighting the latest scientific findings, industrial use cases, and guidelines for using generative language models in academia.
- Guidelines for teachers and lecturers at schools and universities on how to deal with generative language models in exercises and exams and how to benefit from them in teaching.
Events and courses
WBK Generative AI in Teaching and Continuing Education (2 ECTS, in German): The continuing education course provides a deep understanding of generative AI models through practical examples and hands-on exercises. The focus is on the impact of generative AI in teaching and continuing education, useful applications for teachers and instructors, learning objectives and assessments, as well as legal aspects and future developments. Registration
Upcoming Activities:
- FARI Conference: Local & Sustainable AI, Data, and Robotics: 11.09- 12.09.2023, Brussels, Belgium, mit Expertin Cerstin Mahlow: Registration
- AI Policy Summit 2023: 03.11-04.11.2023, Zurich: Pre-Registration
Past Events:
- International Delegates Conference IDK: 14.08.2023, Winterthur. "When Artificial Intelligence presses the school desk: Insights into the functioning, potentials and dangers of AI in foreign language teaching" with expert Alice Delorme Benites: Programm
- ZHAW and City Winterthur (internal): WinLab Brownbag Lunch for employees of the ZHAW and city. 04.07.2023, 12:00-13:30, Theaterstrasse 15c, Room SM O4.01: Information
- Lernlabor Hochschuldidaktik für Digitale Skills (LeLa): 20.06.2023, 12:15-13:00, «Was sind die ethischen Implikationen generativer KI?» (in German): Anmeldung
- Swiss Conference on Data Science (SDS2023): 22.06.-23.06.2023, Zurich. Various Talks, e.g. “Quantum Machine Learning – The Next Big AI Wave in the Age of Energy Transition?” with expert Kurt Stockinger: Program
- SwissText Analytics Conference – Swiss Text 2023: 12.06-14.06.2023, Neuchâtel, with experts Alexandre de Spindler, Katsiaryna Mlynchyk, Manuela Hürlimann and Mark Cieliebak: Programme
- EATAW Conference 2023: 05.06.-07.06.2023, Winterthur, “Writing technology, thinking, and learning”, with expert Mark Cieliebak: Schedule
- Lernlabor Hochschuldidaktik für Digitale Skills (LeLa): 06.06.2023, 12:15-13:00, «Wie integrieren wir KI in die berufliche und akademische Schreibpraxis?» with Dr. Kurt Pernstich and Lisa Messenzehl: Recording (in German)
- ZHAW IAM Live: 31.05.2023, 18:30-19:45, «Macht ChatGPT Journalist:innen und Kommunikationsprofis schneller, einfältiger – oder gar überflüssig?», with expert Cerstin Mahlow: Podcast (in German)
- PHZH and SGAB: 23.05.2023, 13:30-17:00, conference «Automatisierung, KI und Learning Analytics in der Berufsbildung – Chancen und Risiken» (in German), with expert Manuela Hürlimann: Information
- University:Future Festival 2023: 26.04-27.04.2023, “AI Edtech: Opportunity or Risk for Students with Disabilities?” with Oriane Pierrès: Recording
- ZHAW, ETH, Lab42, Mindfire, UZH: 21.04.2023, 11:00, ETH Audimax (HGF30), “Towards Human-like AI”: Information
- Ortsmuseum Meilen & Mindfire: 04.04.2023-23.04.2023., AI Symposium in Meilen (in German), Ortsmuseum Meilen, Kirchgasse 14, 8706 Meilen:
- 04.04.2023, 14:30 Uhr: Die Zukunft der KI, with expert Thilo Stadelmann
- 15.04.2023, 10:30 Uhr: KI & Ethik
- 23.04.2023, 14:30 Uhr: KI, Politik & Gesellschaft
- ZHAW (internal): 02.03.-04.04., webinar series: Impuls Reihe: KI in der Lehre (zhaw.ch) (in German)
- 02.03.2023: Introduction to GenerativeAI, with expert Mark Cieliebak
- 09.03.2023: Demos of Generative Tools: ChatGPT, Copilot, Stable Diffusion, with experts Patrick Feisthammel and Pascal Sager
- 14.03.2023: Impact of Generative AI on Teaching and Exams, with expert Mark Cieliebak
- 23.03.2023: Exam Design in Light of Generative AI, with expert Cerstin Mahlow
- 04.04.2023: Hype oder Revolution: Die Zukunft der generativen KI, with expert Mark Cieliebak
- CLAIRE: 27.03. und 29.03.2023, webinars AI and Mental Health: CLAIRE for Good | AI as a Tool for Mental Health | European AI Week 2023 - YouTube and CLAIRE AQuA: “Impact of AI on Mental Wellbeing” - YouTube
- PHZH, ZHAW, UZH: 03.04.2023, 16:30-18:00, "Chancen und Risiken von KI/ChatGPT für die Bildung?", online Podiumsdiskussion (in German), with expert Alice Delorme Benites: ChatGPT in der Zürcher Bildung Podiumsdiskussion Online 3. April 2023 - YouTube
- CLAIRE (public): All Questions Answered on “ChatGPT and Large Language Models”: YouTube link
Research Projects and Publications
Projects
- Live demonstration of Swiss German speech input to stable-diffusion-based image synthesis (internal showcase, 2022)
- Automatic Generation of Meeting Summaries (Innosuisse Project, completed 2022)
- LIHLITH - Learning to Interact with Humans by Lifelong Interaction with Humans (a fundamental European research project completed in 2020)
- Fact-aware Abstractive Text Summarization using a Pointer-Generator Network ("German Text Summarization" Challenge at SwissText 2019)
- Headline Generation for Newspaper Articles (a project with a media partner, completed in 2019)
Publications
- In-Depth Analysis of Automated Metrics for Text Generation Systems (peer-reviewed paper, 2022)
- Solution for Improving Back-Translation of Database Queries into Natural Language (peer-reviewed paper, 2022; technology integrated into the NL2DB demo)
- Computer vision system using medical image synthesis for data homogenization (peer-reviewed paper, 2021)
- Survey Paper on Evaluation of Dialogue Systems (survey paper, 2021)
- Generating Restaurant Reviews from Structured Data (peer-reviewed paper, 2018)
- End-to-end Trainable System for Enhancing Diversity in Natural Language Generation (system description, 2017)
Experts and Organisation
Experts
For ZHAW Employees
As a ZHAW employee, you can participate actively or passively in the Competence Center: as an «expert» you have expertise on the topic of generative AI; or as a «follower» in our MS Teams channel, if you are simply interested in the topic or have questions about it. Feel free to contact us by sending as an e-mail: generativeAI@zhaw.ch.
Organization
In the Media
- 11.08.2023 / feinhörig - Podcast der OJC / "Science & Fiction - about artificial intelligence", Interviewee Prof. Thilo Stadelmann
- 11.08.2023 / Salzkorn. Science & Fiction / "How smart is artificial intelligence?", Interviewee Prof. Thilo Stadelmann
- 21.07.2023 / Beobachter / "The spirit that comes from the machine", Interviewee Prof. Thilo Stadelman
- 19.07.2023 / SRF Echo der Zeit / "Competition for "real" data for AI underway", Interviewee Prof. Thilo Stadelmann
- 06.07.2023 / Der Landbote / "Cases of fraud are much easier to detect today", Interviewee Prof. Thilo Stadelmann
- June 2023 / SwissPropTech Magazin / "Chatbot EMA for refugees", Interviewee Don Tuggener
- 30.06.2023 / SRF Podcast / "ChatGPT: KI mit KI entlarven, geht das - und wie?", Interviewee Prof. Mark Cieliebak, Dr. Christian Rapp
- 21.06.2023 / Beobachter / "Der Geist, der aus der Maschine kommt", Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann
- 25.05.2023 / swisstrade / "ZHAW researchers apply quantum computers in practice", Interviewee Prof. Kurt Stockinger
- 24.05.2023 / Netzwoche / "ZHAW-Forschende kombinieren klassische Rechner und Quantencomputer", Interviewee Prof. Kurt Stockinger
- 31.03.2023 / SRF Tagesschau / «Tausende Forscher fordern «Denkpause» für künstliche Intelligenz», Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 31.03.2023 / 20min.ch / “Wie gefährlich wird KI für uns? Drei Horrorszenarien im Faktencheck”, Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 29.03.2023 / andersch kompliziert?! / “#Spezial - ChatGPT: die nächste Revolution?”, Interviewee: Dr. Jan Milan Deriu, ZHAW
- 24.03.2023 / SwissLife / “Alleskönner ChatGPT: Wie selbstbestimmt ist die Künstliche Intelligenz?”, Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 21.03.2023 / Impact / Wie Chatbots & Co. Studium und Hochschule beeinflussen”, Interviewee: Prof. Dr. Alice Delorme Benites, Prof. Dr. Mark Cieliebak, ZHAW
- 01.03.2023 / 20 Minuten / “Wegen KI-Schummeleien wollen Unis Studierende mehr mündlich prüfen”, Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 20.02.2023 / 20 Minuten / “These jobs will be eliminated by AI in the future”, Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 17.02.2023 / Schaffhauser Nachrichten / “Will we journalists even be needed in the future?”, Interviewee: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 13.02.2023 / Finanz und Wirtschaft / “ChatGPT heralds tech revolution”, Pascal Kaufmann, Lab42; Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW; Prof. Benjamin Grewe, ETH
- 11.02.2023 / NZZ Magazin / “Artificial intelligence: Microsoft can only win, Google can only lose”, quoted: Prof. Thilo Stadelmann, ZHAW
- 04.02.2023 / SRF Wissenschaftsmagazin / “The search for a good handling of the language software ChatGPT at universities.”, Interviewee: Prof. Mark Cieliebak, ZHAW
- 06.09.2022 / NZZ Folio / “The computer is catching up with us: Machines carry on conversations and create images - with dramatic consequences”, responsible for GPT-3 implementation: Jan Deriu, ZHAW