Breaking barriers in AI: GAIA’s expedition from Virtual Florence to Karpacz Economic Forum

Table of contents

In an extraordinary collaboration GAIA and Omdena GAIA prototyped a groundbreaking concept of conscious and compassionate AI. The transformative partnership was ignited during the Virtual Florence meeting at the iMind Institute in May 2022. Leading experts from diverse backgrounds united to lay the foundation for Collaboration, Compassion and Consciousness (3C) principles. This has ultimately paved the way for a paradigm shift in AI development. With the objective of infusing empathy into AI, GAIA joined forces with Hanson Robotics and Omdena to build conscious AI. This project promised to revolutionize the landscape of artificial intelligence, surpassing performance to focus on ethics and meaningful human interaction.
Afterward, the impactful outcomes of GAIA’s collaborative work with Omdena were proudly showcased in Karpacz during the XXXI Economic Forum. GAIA led 2 inspiring panels:

– Society 2.0, emphasizing their dedication to societal progress

– Human 2.0, in a partnership with iMind Institute, exploring advancements in human enhancement.

Compassion AI and the Human 2.0 revolution at the Karpacz Economic Forum

The Karpacz Economic Forum is recognised as the largest political and economic conference in Central and Eastern Europe. For 3 decades the event has gathered influential figures in politics, economics and society from over 60 countries worldwide. The forum hosted 300+ debates, 4000+ participants, spanning 3 days, fostering essential discussions and significant declarations resonating among global experts. It provided an excellent platform for sharing insights and encouraging collaboration. With the theme “Europe facing new challenges,” this year’s meeting was a beacon of knowledge and innovation.
Key speakers, who discussed the implication compassion-driven AI on society, included:

Mila OrlińskaEdi Pyrek and Piotr Reisch discussed the Peak State method during their Human 2.0 panel. The Peak State method, utilized in the Virtual Florence workshops, facilitates reaching the optimal flow state. The panel also included Joanna Bensz, CEO at International Institute of Longevity, as a participant.

GAIA’s vision: embracing collective intelligence and ethical AI

GAIA’s visionary collaboration with Omdena and Hanson Robotics envisions AI as a compassionate companion to humanity, not just a tool. This unique approach embraces collective intelligence, integrating perspectives from diverse experts worldwide. By prioritizing compassion, GAIA seeks to create AI systems that not only excel in performance but also demonstrate an innate understanding of human emotions and needs. The third pillar, Consciousness, aims to give AI self-awareness and introspection for ethical decision making. GAIA’s partnership exemplifies how these principles mark a profound shift in AI development. These offer a future where AI serves humanity with empathy and compassion.

“By infusing empathy and understanding into the fabric of AI, the partnership seeks to create conscious AI systems. The systems that empathize with human emotions and make ethical decisions. Beyond performance, the goal is to forge meaningful human-like interactions that foster a sense of connection with AI.” – stated Mila Orlińska.

GAIA redefining the human-technology relationship – from Virtual Florence to Karpacz Economic Forum

GAIA’s journey from the Virtual Florence meeting to the Karpacz Economic Forum showcases its commitment to revolutionizing AI.

“We, at GAIA, are proud of our collaboration with Omdena and Hanson Robotics. Our mission to develop compassionate AI, based on the 3C principles of collaboration, compassion and consciousness, is propelling AI evolution. Through this transformative approach, GAIA and its partners are accomplishing much more than setting new standards for ethical AI development. Above all, we are redefining the relationship between humans and technology for a brighter and more compassionate future.” – stated Damian Ciachorowski.

“We express our heartfelt thanks to the Marshal Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship for incredible partnership, allowing GAIA’s presence at Karpacz Economic Forum. Their support and collaboration enabled us to showcase our vision of compassionate and conscious AI globally. Now we are closer to creating AI that truly understands and connects with humans, making the world a better place.” – added Edi Pyrek.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

News

Stay informed with the latest advancements, insights, and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence.

Testing multi-source holographic XR for human-centred telepresence at the University of Bristol

Bristol, 8 September 2025 — GAIA conducted a live pilot of Embodied Dialogue (ED) at the SPIRIT Testbed, University of Bristol, running 8–9 September 2025. The session brought together Uri Noy Meir, Sebastian Jung, Damian Ciachorowski and Anne-Marie Voorhoeve to evaluate how multi-source holographic XR can strengthen embodied social presence...

GAIA at the Economic Forum in Karpacz: the premiere of “SecondBrain” and the MedTech Innovation Day finale

Karpacz, 3–5 September 2025 — This year’s Economic Forum in Karpacz delivered a strong message for health innovation and responsible AI. The Global Artificial Intelligence Alliance (GAIA), represented by Edi Pyrek and Damian Ciachorowski, was active across sessions and panels and also partnered with the Healthcare Poland Foundation on the flagship MedTech Innovation Day. The highlight of...

EuroXR 2025: a human-centred evaluation tool for XR technology

Winterthur, 3-5 September 2025 — Representing GAIA, Uri Noy Meir and Sebastian Jung presented the research poster “Embodied Dialogue” at the 22nd EuroXR International Conference (EuroXR 2025), held 3–5 September at the ZHAW School of Management and Law in Winterthur, Switzerland. The conference featured a joint SPIRIT & CORTEX² special...

Ludvig Nobel at the inauguration of GAIA Institute

Warsaw welcomed Ludvig Nobel for a day that joined vision with execution. Invited by the GAIA Foundation, Mr. Nobel met with leaders at Poland’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT) and, that evening, took part in an inaugural dinner launching the GAIA Institute, co-organized with the Healthcare Poland Foundation....

GAIA Foundation honored at the 10th Intelligent Development Forum in Uniejów

Edi Pyrek hosted the Gala and delivered a power speech; Damian Ciachorowski joined an AI hubs panel, moderated a technology-transfer session, and accepted the FIR Award on GAIA’s behalf....

AI Impact Ecosystem is growing! 

During the Polish Economic Congress, the GAIA Foundation signed a strategic Letter of Intent with Employers of Poland and the Family Business Initiative Association to build an expert ecosystem supporting the international scaling of Polish scale-ups—especially into Silicon Valley. This marks a continued effort to connect innovation, business, and global...