IWAI 2024

5th International Workshop
on Active Inference

9-11 September 2024 in Oxford, UK

The 5th International Workshop on Active Inference wants to bring together researchers on active inference as well as related research fields in order to discuss current trends, novel results and real-world applications. We have an interest in exploring the extent to which active inference can be used in modern machine learning settings, such as in hybrid setups combining it with deep learning, as well as to unify the latest psychological and neurological insights, and to determine how it can best be used to understand action, optimization and decision making.

Programme

The workshop will take place September 9-11th. The full workshop programme will be announced later.

Call for papers

Papers on all subjects and applications of active inference and related research areas are welcome. The workshop's focus is on the technical implementation of the ideas. Consequently, topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

Important dates

Abstract Deadline: May 24th, 2024
Submission Deadline: May 31st, 2024
Acceptance Notification: July 14, 2024
Camera Ready Submission Deadline: September 2, 2024
Registration deadline: September 2, 2024
Workshop Date: September 9-11, 2024

Paper submissions

We welcome submissions of papers with up to 12 printed pages (excluding references) in LNCS format (click here for details). Submissions will be evaluated according to their originality and relevance to the workshop, and should have an abstract of maximum 250 words. Contributions should be in PDF format and submitted via OpenReview (click here).

All submitted papers will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process, and be selected based on originality, quality, soundness, and relevance. Submitted papers need to be anonymized with the best of efforts. It is allowed to have a (non-anonymous) online pre-print. Accepted papers will be published in the proceedings in the Springer CCIS series.

Extended abstract submissions

We also welcome submissions of extended abstracts with up to 2 printed pages (excluding references and figures) in LNCS format (click here for details). These can cover the material of a journal paper published by the author in the past 12 months, or can be an abstract of late breaking results. Contributions should be in PDF format and submitted via OpenReview (click here). Extended abstracts will not be published in the proceedings, but can be accepted as presentations or as posters to the workshop.

Registration

Registration details will be announced later.


Venue

The workshop will take place at Corpus Christi College, in Oxford, UK.


Travel information

Most travel tickets to Oxford, whether it be for buses or trains, can be conveniently purchased online through Trainline. Note that there are ticket options for flexible travelling. If you're arriving in London by train at London St Pancras International Station, you can transfer to Oxford by train with typically one or two changes along the way. Tickets for these journeys can be booked via Trainline. Direct trains to Oxford depart from London Paddington and Marylebone Stations, both of which are easily accessible using the London Underground (the metro/subway system) where you can simply use contactless bank cards as tickets.

For a direct bus service from London to Oxford, you can opt for the Oxford Tube, which runs 24/7. Despite the name, it is a coach service, not to be confused with London's subway system, which is also known as the Tube. The journey by bus usually takes around 2 hours and departs from various locations, including Victoria Coach Station.

If you're flying into London via Heathrow Airport, a direct bus to Oxford is a swift option, taking approximately 1.5 hours with services like The Airline. If you prefer to travel by train, which may take longer, you'll need to journey into central London first before catching a train to Oxford. Trainline can provide you with the necessary travel routes and ticketing information. You can also reach Oxford by bus from other London airports or from cities across the UK via services such as National Express.

For travelling within Oxford, since it's a beautiful and small city that is cycling-friendly, you may walk, rent a bicycle, or use an e-scooter.

Visa for United Kingdom

Please check the UK Embassy or Consulate in your own country to check if you need a visa to come to the United Kingdom. Contact us in time if you need an invitation letter.

Organization

IWAI 2024 is made possible thanks to the following people.

Organizers

   General Chair: Tim Verbelen

   Local Organization Chair: Riddhi Jain Pitliya

   Technical Program Chairs: Martijn Wisse, Ivilin Peev Stoianov

   Communication Chair: Pablo Lanillos

Organization committee

Christopher Buckley, University of Sussex, United Kingdom
Daniela Cialfi, Institute of Complex Systems (CNR); La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Pablo Lanillos, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Netherlands
Riddhi Jain Pitliya, Oxford University, United Kingdom
Noor Sajid, University College London, United Kingdom
Hideaki Shimazaki, Kyoto University, Japan
Ivilin Peev Stoianov, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC), National Research Council (CNR), Italy
Tim Verbelen, VERSES, USA
Martijn Wisse, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Programme committee

Anjali Bhat, University College London, United Kingdom
Christopher Buckley, University of Sussex, United Kingdom
Ozan Catal, VERSES, USA
Daniela Cialfi, Institute of Complex Systems (CNR); La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Lancelot Da Costa, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Cedric De Boom, Statistiek Vlaanderen, Belgium
Bart Dhoedt, Ghent University, Belgium
Daniel Friedman, University of California, USA
Karl Friston, University College London, United Kingdom
Conor Heins, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
Alex Kiefer, VERSES, USA
Brennan Klein, Northeastern University, USA
Pablo Lanillos, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Netherlands
Christoph Mathys, Aarhus University, Denmark
Pietro Mazzaglia, Ghent University, Belgium
Ajith Anil Meera, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Netherlands
Thomas Parr, University College London, United Kingdom
Corrado Pezzato, TU Delft, Netherlands
Maxwell Ramstead, VERSES, USA; and University College London, United Kingdom
Noor Sajid, University College London, United Kingdom
Dalton Sakthivadivel, VERSES, USA
Eli Sennesh, Northeastern University, USA
Panos Tigas, Oxford University, United Kingdom
Alexander Tschantz, VERSES, USA
Hideaki Shimazaki, Kyoto University, Japan
Ruben van Bergen, Radboud University, Netherlands
Toon Van de Maele, Ghent University, Belgium
Tim Verbelen, VERSES, USA
Martijn Wisse, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Previous editions

2020 - Ghent (virtual)
2021 - Bilbao (virtual)
2022 - Grenoble
2023 - Ghent