Davide Bacciu

Davide Bacciu is a Full Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Pisa, where he leads the Pervasive Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (PAILab) and coordinates the EIC-Pathfinder EMERGE project. He is also Director of AI Research at Aptus.AI and founder of ContinualIST and QuantaBrain startups. His academic roles include Vice President of AIxIA (Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence) and former Senior Editor of IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems.

He holds a PhD in Computer Science from IMT Lucca and is affiliated with the Department of Computer Science at the University of Pisa. His research focuses on machine learning fundamentals, graph neural networks, continual learning, and applications in robotics and healthcare. Key projects include the EMERGE initiative exploring collective awareness in AI systems and QuantaBrain’s diagnostic tools for autism spectrum disorders.

Bacciu’s work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating AI with cyber-physical systems and societal impact. His contributions span foundational theory (e.g., causal abstractions, graph structure learning) and applied domains (e.g., autonomous systems, medical AI). He has organized workshops on AI for Space exploration and Geometric Deep Learning, showcasing his commitment to advancing AI frontiers.

• Education: PhD in Computer Science (IMT Lucca), MSc & BSc from University of Pisa.
• Labs/Teams: PAILab, EMERGE project, QuantaBrain startup.
• Grants/Projects: EIC Pathfinder EMERGE, TEACHING_H2020, AI for Space initiatives.

His recent publications address challenges in dynamic graph learning, continual learning, and causal discovery. Bacciu advocates for a national AI strategy in Italy, stressing long-term vision and ethical AI governance aligned with EU regulations like the AI Act.