President Milanović delivered the lecture as part of the SIMON project — an Intelligent System for the Automatic Selection of Machine Learning Algorithms in the Social Sciences and the use of artificial intelligence. At the beginning of his lecture, he remarked:
“It is a powerful weapon, because by the time you explain that something is a lie, it has already traveled around the world. It is invasive and powerful, far more so than any newspaper article published on a news portal.”
Speaking about artificial intelligence, the President warned:
“The potential for the misuse of artificial intelligence in the democratic process — in which informed citizens should decide and make choices about what kind of society they want, how they want resources to be distributed, what relationships they want with their neighbors, and what values they want in their community — is enormous, and manipulation of this kind will only increase in the future.”
Within the broader theme of his lecture, President Milanović also shared his views on the functioning of the European Union, emphasizing that EU membership brings certain benefits to Croatia, but also requires a realistic understanding of its structure and power dynamics.
“How does the European Union actually work? In what sense is it a state? I believe that, for now, membership is beneficial for us. Croatia, like other smaller states, should strive to develop balanced trade relations and protect its own interests in international affairs. Our goal should be to maintain balanced exchange with other countries, as a small state” - President said.
President Milanović also addressed complex geopolitical relations that shape the modern world and influence political decision-making and international stability.
The lecture was part of the presentation of the SIMON project, which focuses on developing intelligent systems capable of automatically identifying optimal machine learning algorithms for various types of social data. The project promotes more transparent, efficient, and accessible use of artificial intelligence in scientific research and decision-making.
Project leader Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dijana Oreški emphasized on the occasion of the President’s visit:
“The SIMON project demonstrates how artificial intelligence can become a tool for better understanding society — not just a technology for prediction. Global challenges require not only smart algorithms but also responsible decisions.”
At the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, the President was welcomed by numerous students and faculty members. The Dean, Prof. Dr. Marina Klačmer Čalopa, stated:
“It is a great honor for us to host the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Zoran Milanović, here at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics and to open a lecture on the topic ‘Global Challenges and the Political Environment.’ FOI has been, for more than six decades, a place where science, education, and social responsibility come together — where experts are trained to respond to the global challenges of modern society. Such meetings are invaluable, as they foster dialogue between science, politics, and practice, and encourage understanding of the circumstances that shape our shared future.”
During his visit to the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, President Milanović also met with the Faculty’s Board. Along with the Dean and the SIMON project leader, the meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Tomislav Bolanča, Vice-Rector for Business and Digitalization of the University of Zagreb; Prof. Dr. Tomislav Josip Mlinarić, Vice-Rector for Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Cooperation with Industry; Prof. Dr. Jurica Pavičić, Vice-Rector for International and Interinstitutional Cooperation and Dr. Neven Bosilj, Mayor of the City of Varaždin.
