"What do you work on?

Hello, I am Elena, Artificial Intelligence Officer at the European Ombudsman.

The European Ombudsman investigates complaints against EU institutions.

If you're wondering what an AI Officer does, my daily task is to explore how AI can genuinely help our work and make us more efficient.

I work at the intersection of ICT, policy, law and fundamental rights.

This is something that one person cannot do alone. We have a cross-service AI task force where we meet and pull our resources. We scout for the best solutions to address the challenges our colleagues face.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

What I like most about my job is, first of all, that the tasks are completely new and sometimes uncharted.

You must find solutions to problems without a specific template because nobody before you has had to deal with them.

I also love working for a small institution because I have access to everybody, we can all work together, and you can see how a project develops from A to Z, rather than being involved in just one part of it.

What is your top tip for someone considering applying for the competition?

If I can give you one tip about this competition, it is to treat it like a marathon, not a sprint.

Be very diligent, focused and disciplined, and prepare every day if you can.

If you're an expert in this field, do not hesitate to apply.

The EU is where everything is happening at the moment, and it's a very exciting place to work and to take cybersecurity and AI to the next level."