Foreword

It is with immense pride and anticipation that we present the proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Advanced Technologies in Energy and Informatics (ICATEI 2025). This conference is held at a crucial and potentially opportune historical moment, where the convergence of digital, environmental, and social technologies has reached an unprecedented level. This year's theme, "Advanced Intelligent Systems in Contemporary Society," is more than just a theme; it is a reflection, a call, and a roadmap. The conference will explore the duality of modern intelligent systems: on the one hand, they are extraordinary engines of growth, driving efficiencies, inventions, and previously unimaginable solutions; on the other, they pose complex paradoxes and challenges related to ethics, sustainability, social inclusion, and human integrity. Therefore, these proceedings reflect the collective efforts of the global scientific community to not only define the "state of the art" in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and network engineering but also to align them with the core values of contemporary society, ensuring that the technological advances we build today can responsibly serve people and the planet in the future. It is an artifact of a crucial conversation that merges disciplines, challenges assumptions, and explores a technological landscape that has the potential to redefine our existence.

These proceedings examine three fundamental, interrelated pillars within the framework of intelligent systems. The first pillar, energy transformation and sustainability, utilizes artificial intelligence and big data analytics as catalysts for the clean energy transition. The papers in this section examine new grid systems that can predict, integrate, and enhance the utilization of intermittent renewable energy sources. It will make the grid more resilient and decentralized. Further explorations include machine learning applications in materials science, accelerating the discovery of high-capacity battery materials, catalysts for green hydrogen production, and next-generation photovoltaics, as well as high-precision climate modeling that enables data-driven mitigation policies. The second pillar, computational informatics and future connectivity, addresses the foundations of the digital infrastructure that underpins an intelligent society. It includes advances in neuromorphic and quantum computing, which could revolutionize the way information is processed; 6G/7G network architectures and satellite communications; and robust cybersecurity frameworks, such as post-quantum cryptography and AI-based threat detection, which are essential to protect digital sovereignty. The third and most important pillar is socio-technical and ethical integration, which examines how these systems integrate into society and their impact on moral considerations. Topics include algorithmic fairness and transparent AI governance, an IoT-driven circular economy, predictive personalized health systems, and adaptive education models that prepare the workforce for an era of human-machine symbiosis. These pillars are not separate from each other; they are woven together to create a single canvas where energy and digital innovation must work in tandem to have a positive impact on society and the environment.

As editors, we recognize that the actual value of these proceedings lies not in definitive conclusions but in the provocative questions, innovative methodologies, and cross-border collaborations offered by the authors, reviewers, and participants. The collected papers demonstrate impressive technical leaps, while also showcasing a growing collective awareness of broader implications. ICATEI 2025 serves as a reminder that "intelligent systems" are ultimately just tools. Accurate intelligence lies in how we, as a global community of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and citizens, choose to design, implement, and govern these tools. We hope this volume serves not only as an academic record but also as a source of inspiration and a call to action. Let us continue to build this dialogue, foster collaboration, and ensure that the advanced technological landscape we are shaping is brilliant-not only in its computational capacity, but also in its wisdom, empathy, and commitment to a shared, sustainable, and equitable future. Thank you to all who have contributed to this critical intellectual journey.

Guest Editor