The trade of illegal timber is growing worldwide: timber with unknown origins increasingly finds its way to the market through shady routes. To combat this, Thomas Mortier (UGent) and Victor Deklerck (World Forest ID, Plantentuin Meise) developed an AI model that can trace the origin of timber via a unique ‘chemical fingerprint’. Their research was recently published in the prestigious journal ‘Nature Plants’.

There are many safety concerns regarding DeepSeek: its apparent political censorship received a lot of attention in the media, but this can still be circumvented. A more pressing concern is privacy: DeepSeek’s online app offers no way to avoid having your information sent directly to China.

In early 2025, DeepSeek suddenly emerged from deep Chinese waters with a revolutionary AI model: high-performance, open source, cheap and light. Is DeepSeek the unexpected challenger that shakes up the market? One thing is certain: AI history is far from being written. What drives AI innovation in 2025? And why is DeepSeek the first big surprise of the year?

DeepSeek is turning the world of AI upside down. With its powerful V3 and R1 models, the Chinese company combines pioneering efficiency with impressive language processing, offering a surprising alternative to better-known players such as OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Google (Gemini). But where did it come from and what makes DeepSeek different from all those other models?

The EU AI Act (Artificial Intelligence Act) is the world's first legal framework for artificial intelligence. It addresses AI-related risks to ensure safe, reliable, and transparent AI usage while respecting fundamental rights and values in Europe. The AI Act will be rolled out between August 2024 and August 2027.

Meaningful use of AI is undeniably one of the cornerstones of a future-proof retailer. But what exactly does that mean? Because AI is often discussed from a technical angle, it is not always clear how the technology can make a meaningful difference for retail.

When we think of GenAI we usually think of ChatGPT. But GenAI, the generation of new information by an AI system, can be so much more. In healthcare this technology is rapidly changing the sector, via synthetic data, digital twins, foundational models and last but certainly not least: administrative automation and streamlining.

Companies, professionals and sectors must evolve with the arrival of AI, especially in Flanders' innovative knowledge economy. How can you keep up with all these trends when they are coming thick and fast? 'Lifelong learning' offers the answer: AI adoption stands or falls with knowledge.

From February 2025, AI literacy is mandatory under the European AI Act. How do you deal with this in your company? Nadja Desmet of Someflex provides some tips on how to have a good training programme and a suitable learning culture.