On September 24–25, 2025, our group, in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), successfully hosted the workshop “AI4EO: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Directions” at the Universitätsclub Bonn. The two-day lunch-to-lunch event brought together around 100 on-site participants from science, government, and industry, creating a vibrant platform for exchange at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Earth Observation (EO).

The program opened with a keynote by Prof. Xiaoxiang Zhu (TUM) highlighting the achievements of the ML4Earth initiative, followed by five thematic sessions covering foundation models, time series analysis, multisensor data fusion, trustworthy AI, and scalable platforms and infrastructures. The sessions showcased cutting-edge research and application-driven case studies, stimulating lively discussions on how AI can tackle pressing EO challenges.

Day two featured a keynote by Dr. Claudio Iacopino (ESA Φ-lab Explore Office), who shared exclusive insights into ESA’s upcoming AI4EO strategies and opportunities. Poster sessions provided an interactive space for early-stage research and networking, while the final panel discussion, with experts from ESA, BKG, CGI, University of Hamburg, and TUM, sparked a forward-looking debate on how to advance AI for Earth Observation in a trustworthy and impactful way.

The event underscored the growing importance of AI in addressing global environmental, societal, and security challenges through EO, and fostered new connections across disciplines and institutions. We warmly thank all participants and partners for their contributions and look forward to continuing the dialogue and collaboration in future AI4EO initiatives.