ALIFE 2023 Conference on Artificial Life in Sapporo
In the days of July 24th to 28th, the annual Conference on Artificial Life ALIFE 2023 took place in Sapporo, Japan. Jitka Cejkova, after four years, had the opportunity to meet her "ALIFE family" and colleagues from the community in person, as the previous three conferences were held virtually (with Jitka organizing the ALIFE 2021 conference "in Prague").
This year's conference was as captivating as ever, featuring intriguing lectures, workshops, and discussions. Jitka, alongside Olaf Witkowski and Alyssa Adams, conducted ISAL Summer School on Artificial Life. During the Monday sessions, videos were published in which leading scientists in the field summarized their research and explained their dedication to artificial life, all within ten minutes. Friday's segment consisted of engaging discussions and Q&A sessions.
Moreover, Jitka hosted “CHEMALIFORMS III - the Third Workshop on Chemistry and Artificial Life Forms” where she gave a lecture on the topic of R.U.R. and the Vision of Artificial Life.
A significant highlight of the conference was the promotion of the book "R.U.R. and the Vision of Artificial Life " set to be published by MIT Press on 2nd January 2024. More than half of the contributors to this book were present at the conference. Additionally, among the 100 authors who contributed to the Czech book "ROBOT 100," published by the VSCHT Prague publishing house in November 2020, there were 18 authors who attended the event (see photo).
All Alifers are eagerly looking forward to ALIFE 2024, which is scheduled to take place in Copenhagen. Following that, there is even more excitement building up for ALIFE 2025, which will be held in Kyoto. These conferences will undoubtedly provide unique opportunities for researchers, scientists, and enthusiasts to come together, exchange ideas, present their latest findings, and further advance the fascinating field of artificial life research. As the ALIFE community continues to grow and evolve, these upcoming conferences promise to be memorable and enriching experiences for all attendees.
