A Look from Researchers – Safa BEN AYED
On this page :
- What are you currently working on, and how does your research take shape in practice ?
- What motivates you in your work, and what does this experience bring you ?
- In your opinion, what are the major challenges of artificial intelligence today ?
3 questions to Safa BEN AYED
Teacher–Researcher, within the CESI LINEACT research unit and member of the Engineering and Digital Tools team.
Safa works on developing artificial intelligence models capable of making reliable decisions, even in uncertain contexts. As the recipient of a national call for projects dedicated to “AI pioneers,” her research sits at the intersection of scientific, industrial, and societal challenges.
What are you currently working on, and how does your research take shape in practice ?
I work on artificial intelligence models that can operate with imperfect data. In real-world situations, information is often incomplete, imprecise, or even contradictory… and yet, decisions still have to be made.
My work therefore focuses on making these decisions more reliable. To achieve this, I use an approach that combines multiple sources of information, even when they do not fully agree with each other.
These research efforts are already applied to very concrete cases, such as anticipating machine failures or optimizing energy consumption in buildings.
Today, I am also leading a project as part of a national call for proposals in artificial intelligence. We apply our work to the agricultural sector: for example, analyzing images or sensor data to detect diseases or determine the optimal time for irrigation.
At this stage, we are still in the research phase, but the goal is to collaborate with an industrial partner to turn these results into a concrete solution.
What motivates you in your work, and what does this experience bring you ?
Research is truly a passion for me. What I enjoy most is being able to test, explore, and adjust… nothing is ever fixed, and we are constantly learning.
I also really enjoy teaching, so the connection with education is very important to me.
Leading this project is a major step. It’s the first time I have initiated a project of this scale, so it is both stimulating and demanding. Being selected in a national call for projects like this is also a form of recognition for the work accomplished.
It motivates me to go further, to keep proposing ideas, and to get involved in other projects, even if the pace can sometimes be intense.
In your opinion, what are the major challenges of artificial intelligence today ?
One of the main challenges is trust. Today, many AI systems produce results without us fully understanding how they reach them. We therefore need to make them more transparent.
There is also the issue of bias. AI learns from data… so if that data is imperfect or unbalanced, the results will be too.
Another key challenge is data control. Today, data is largely held by major international players, which raises questions about independence.
In the coming years, AI will undoubtedly continue to expand into our daily lives. However, it will not replace humans it will mainly help them make better decisions.
That is why it is essential to train students in its use. Not necessarily for everyone to become experts, but to understand how it works, and above all, its limitations.
Safa’s advice to future researchers :
Believe in your ideas, even when they seem simple. They are often the ones that go the furthest.
Safa BEN AYED