For over 20 years, Dr. Karkaletsis has been dedicated to advancing AI from isolated research to a collaborative force driving progress in science and industry. His vision began to take shape during his leadership of the Software & Knowledge Engineering Lab (SKEL | The AI Lab) and has been further refined through his involvement with prominent global Committees and Associations in AI. As Director of the Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications at NCSR Demokritos, he champions transdisciplinary co-creation, bridging technology with societal challenges. Dr. Karkaletsis envisions AI as a catalyst for global innovation, policy transformation, and a tool to serve humanity in building a better future.