About MAKE

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The Origins of the MAKE Symposium Series

The MAKE (Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering) symposium series originated from an informal discussion over coffee between Knut Hinkelmann and Andreas Martin at the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland in Olten in late 2017. What began as a shared observation about the growing disconnect between machine learning and knowledge-based systems quickly evolved into a clear vision: establishing a dedicated forum that systematically explores their integration.

In preparation for the first symposium in 2019, the thematic focus was sharpened around the principled combination of machine learning and knowledge engineering. Distinguished colleagues, including Peter Clark, Aurona Gerber, Douglas B. Lenat, and Frank van Harmelen, joined the organizing committee.

Since its inception, the symposium series has continuously evolved in response to community feedback and emerging research challenges. While the thematic emphasis has shifted over the years, MAKE has remained firmly anchored in its core mission: advancing research at the intersection of machine learning and knowledge engineering.

MAKE is part of the AAAI Spring Symposium Series, an annual collection of symposia held in parallel at a common venue and organized under the auspices of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).

The AAAI Spring Symposium Series is designed to bring researchers together in an intimate and focused forum while simultaneously serving as a significant gathering point for the broader AI community. Its format encourages extended discussion, in-depth feedback, and the formation of new research communities in emerging areas of artificial intelligence.

The MAKE Symposia

AAAI-MAKE 2019 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Combining Machine Learning with Knowledge Engineering
March 25–27, 2019 · Stanford University · USA
Focus: The inaugural symposium of the MAKE series, initiating a structured dialogue between the machine learning and knowledge engineering communities.

AAAI-MAKE 2020 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Combining Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering in Practice
March 23–25, 2020 · Stanford University · USA
Focus: Chair- and committee-driven symposium with an emphasis on explainability and the practical integration of domain knowledge into machine learning systems.

AAAI-MAKE 2021 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Combining Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering
March 22–24, 2021 · Stanford University · USA
Focus: Continued efforts toward explainable, interpretable, and domain-grounded AI.

AAAI-MAKE 2022 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering for Hybrid Intelligence
March 21–23, 2022 · Stanford University · USA
Focus: Hybrid intelligence through the principled integration of machine learning and knowledge engineering.

AAAI-MAKE 2023 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Challenges Requiring the Combination of Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering
March 27–29, 2023 · San Francisco · USA
Focus: Addressing societal, business, and environmental challenges through combined ML and KE approaches.

AAAI-MAKE 2024 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Empowering Machine Learning and Large Language Models with Domain and Commonsense Knowledge
March 25–27, 2024 · Stanford University · USA
Focus: Interpretability, trustworthiness, and commonsense reasoning for large language models.

AAAI-MAKE 2025 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering for Trustworthy Multimodal and Generative AI
March 31–April 2, 2025 · San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront · USA
Focus: Trustworthy multimodal and generative AI, neurosymbolic reasoning, and hybrid human–AI intelligence.

MAKE 2026 – AAAI Spring Symposium on Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering for Knowledge-Grounded Semantic Agents
April 7–9, 2026 · Hyatt Regency, San Francisco Airport · Burlingame, CA, USA
Focus: Integrating machine learning and knowledge engineering in the development of knowledge-grounded semantic agents.

Keynote Speakers in the Series

  • Andrei Barbu
  • Ron Brachman
  • Peter Clark
  • Edward A. Feigenbaum
  • Leilani H. Gilpin
  • Noah Goodman
  • Alison Gopnik
  • Frank van Harmelen
  • Henry Lieberman
  • Douglas B. Lenat
  • James McClelland
  • Natasha Noy
  • Alessandro Oltramari
  • Zvonimir Rakamaric
  • Pradeep Ravikumar

Organizing Committee Members in the Series

  • Alessandro Oltramari
  • Andreas Martin
  • Aurona Gerber
  • Douglas B. Lenat
  • Emanuele Laurenzi
  • Frank van Harmelen
  • Hans-Georg Fill
  • Jane Yung-jen Hsu
  • Knut Hinkelmann
  • Leilani H. Gilpin
  • Maaike de Boer
  • Pascal Hitzler
  • Paulo Shakarian
  • Pedro A. Colon-Hernandez
  • Peter Clark
  • Reinhard Stolle
  • Thomas Schmid
  • Xiang Lorraine Li
  • Yen-Ling Kuo

In Memoriam: Douglas B. Lenat (1950–2023)

We honor the memory of Douglas B. Lenat, an esteemed colleague, close friend, and co-initiator of the AAAI-MAKE symposium series. Doug was a co-organizer of multiple MAKE symposia, an AAAI Fellow, and one of the most influential figures in the history of knowledge-based artificial intelligence. His intellectual leadership, vision, and generosity of spirit fundamentally shaped the identity of MAKE and continue to inspire its community.