A seminar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the role of Thessaloniki is being organized by Dimitris Tsiodras. The event, initiated by the New Democracy MEP, will take place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 10:00 to 13:30 at the “Olympion” in Thessaloniki.

The MEP notes that at a time when AI is rapidly transforming every aspect of society, the economy, and daily life, and as the European Union aims to establish itself as an “Artificial Intelligence Continent,” Greece must prepare, plan, and claim its role on the European and global innovation map.

With the participation of government officials, academics, researchers, and AI professionals, the seminar aims to highlight Thessaloniki’s role as an emerging hub of research, innovation, and technological development, presenting European policies and international AI developments. At the same time, it seeks to foster meaningful dialogue between politicians, the academic community, and productive sectors in Northern Greece to shape a safe and human-centered digital future, explore AI applications in health, work, education, transportation, and primary production, and position Greece as a country capable of innovating and contributing significantly to the European effort.

The event will open with greetings from the Greek European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia–Thrace Konstantinos Giouleka, Thessaloniki Mayor Stelios Angeloudis, Deputy Regional Governor of Digital Governance of Central Macedonia Nikos Tzollas, and MEP Dimitris Tsiodras, who will give the introduction and welcome address.

The sessions will begin with a discussion on the challenges for Greece, and especially Thessaloniki, in this new AI era, coordinated by Dimitris Tsiodras. Participants include Deputy Minister of Development for Research and Innovation Stavros Kalafatis, President of the Hellenic Parliament Committee on Research and Technology Stratos Simopoulos, President of the Alexandria Innovation Zone and member of ESETek Panagiotis Ketikidis, and AI Professor at the Department of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ioannis Vlachavas.

The discussion will then focus on the impact of AI on work, coordinated by Voria.gr journalist Tasos Tasioulas. Participants include Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Anna Efthymiou, Tasos Manos, President of the Hellenic Association of Information Technology and Communications Enterprises, and Konstantinos Stefanou, Emeritus Professor at the International Hellenic University.

Next, a session on AI in Health will be coordinated by TV100 journalist Vangelis Plakas, with the participation of Deputy Minister of Health Dimitris Vartzopoulos, Orthopedic and National Health System Director Nikos Papadimitriou, and Professor of Medicine Panagiotis Bamidis, Director of the Laboratory of Physical Medicine and Digital Innovation.

The seminar will conclude with a discussion on the AI ecosystem in Northern Greece, coordinated by Christos Vasilakos, Head of the Brussels Office of MEP Dimitris Tsiodras. Participants include Tasos Tzikas, President of DETh-Helexpo and Thessaloniki Technopolis S.A., Dimitris Lakasas, CEO of Olympia Electronics S.A., Lazaros Tsioraklidis, Managing Director of Altair Hellenic, Evangelos Mitsakis from DeepTraffic specializing in traffic and mobility technologies, and Dimitris Koutras, founder and CEO of Agroverse.

The seminar aims to illuminate the conditions required for Thessaloniki and Greece to seize the significant opportunities of AI, strengthen their position in the European digital transition effort, and shape modern, human-centered policies focused on progress.