6. Workshop on Awareness in Learning Agents (ALA 2025)

Awareness in this context refers to the intrinsic ability of systems to reach and share an understanding of their environment, context, and objectives in a way that extends beyond raw data processing or task-specific optimization. By incorporating elements such as situational comprehension, self-reflection, temporal and agentive understanding, awareness has the potential to address many of the current limitations in AI, including brittleness, lack of transparency, and limited interoperability when operating in collective of agents, whether purely synthetic or in human-AI collaborations.

The workshop explored both the technical advancements provided by awareness and the philosophical, ethical, and societal impacts and implications of aware agents. It provided a forum for discussion between different research communities, including artificial intelligence, robotics, philosophy, and social sciences. Through keynote talks, contributed sessions, and an interactive panel discussion, participants explored diverse perspectives, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. This dual focus on technical advancement and societal impact aimed to inspire not only the development of more capable learning agents but also a thoughtful approach to their integration into the world. By addressing these interconnected dimensions, the workshop sought to ensure that advancements in awareness contribute positively to both technology and society.