The Cyprus Center for Reliable Artificial Intelligence (CyCAT) at the Open University of Cyprus has received a €150,000 grant from the Research and Innovation Foundation of Cyprus to implement a new project titled PINNACLE: Public Engagement in AI Evaluation for Education and System Benchmarking.

According to the university, the 18-month funding will enable the research team to design a comprehensive research proposal on AI evaluation, which will be submitted for a competitive call under the Horizon Europe program.

The goal of PINNACLE is to develop innovative mechanisms and tools that will allow the public to assess and evaluate AI-based products and services. The project aligns with the EU’s vision for Trustworthy AI, ensuring that artificial intelligence systems meet ethical and technical standards.

According to the EU AI Act, AI systems must adhere to fundamental principles such as technical reliability, fairness, non-discrimination, and user privacy to be considered trustworthy. PINNACLE’s methodology will provide the public with a structured and evidence-based approach to assess whether the AI systems they use truly meet these standards.

As part of the first phase of the project, the research team will launch a new edition of the online course "Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life."

• The course begins on April 30, 2025, and runs for eight weeks.

• It offers an introduction to key AI concepts and applications with no technical background required.

• The course will be available in Greek and English, with no registration fees.

Participants will actively engage in course exercises that will contribute to the development of PINNACLE’s AI evaluation mechanisms. Those who complete the course will be the first to access research findings and will receive a certificate of completion.