------------------------------------------------- AI4FM 2015 - the 6th International Workshop on the use of AI in Formal Methods http://www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2015/ Edinburgh, 1st September, 2015 In association with AVoCS 2015 https://sites.google.com/site/avocs15 ------------------------------------------------- --- First Call for Contributions --- Important Dates --------------- Submission deadline: 1st August, 2015 Notification of acceptance: 10th August, 2015 Final version due: 21st August, 2015 Workshop: 1st September, 2015 General --------------- This workshop will bring together researchers from formal methods, automated reasoning and AI; it will address the issue of how AI can be used to support the formal software development process, including requirement analysis, modelling and proof. Previous AI4FM workshops have included a mix of industrial and academic participants and we anticipate attracting a similarly diverse audience. Rigorous software development using formal methods allows the construction of an accurate characterisation of a problem domain that is firmly based on mathematics; by applying standard mathematical analyses, these methods can be used to prove that systems satisfy formal specifications. Research has shown that with tools backed by mature theory, formal methods are becoming cost effective and their use is easier to justify, not as an academic exercise, legal requirement or niche markets -- but as part of a business case. However, while industrial use of formal methods is increasing, in order to make it more mainstream, the cost of applying formal methods, in terms of mathematical skill level and development time, must still be reduced. We believe that AI can help with these issues. Scope --------------- We encourage submissions presenting work in progress, tools under development, and PhD projects, in order that the workshop can become a forum for active dialogue between the groups involved in automated reasoning, formal methods and artificial intelligence. Particular areas of interest include, but are not limited to: - The use of AI and automated reasoning to support and guide the formal modelling process. - The use of AI and automated reasoning in the requirement capture process. - The use of AI to reuse formal models, programs and proofs. - The use of machine learning to support interactive theorem proving. - The use of machine learning to enhance automated theorem proving. - The development of search heuristics. - The use of AI for term synthesis, invariant generation, lemma discovery and concept invention. - The use of AI for counter-example generation. - The use of constraint solvers in formal methods. - The role of AI planning for formal systems developments, from requirements to the end product (including software and hardware). - The interplay between reasoning and modelling and the role of AI in this framework. - Ontologies in the formal engineering process. - Novel ideas on how to use AI (e.g. machine learning, pattern recognition) in proof automation. - Use of cloud elasticity for: scalability on large scale developments, proof/lemma exploration. - Techniques for bridging the development to maintenance gap. We want to continue the area of research beyond our sponsored project (at Newcastle and Edinburgh universities), which has come to an end. This means we would particularly encourage the submission of position papers on new ideas or research directions for the use of AI techniques in the proof discovery process as well as in modelling best practices. Student grants --------------- Thanks to sponsorships from FME and SICSA we can offer financial support for a limited number of students registering for AVoCS in the form of a registration fee waiver (full or partial). As this is limited, we ask the students that would like to take the advantage of this support to submit a short application. The details on how to apply will be available in due course from the AVoCS webpage. History --------------- This will be the fifth workshop in the series. Previous workshops were held at: - Singapore, May 2014 @ FM (www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2014/) - Rennes, France, July 2013 @ ITP (www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2013/) - Schloss Dagstuhl, Germany, July 2012 (www.dagstuhl.de/12271) - Edinburgh, UK, April 2011 (www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2011.php) - Newcastle, UK, May 2010 (www.ai4fm.org/ko-meeting.php) Submission --------------- The main aim for the workshop is discussion, thus submissions do not need to be original. Extended versions of submissions may have been published previously, or submitted concurrently with or after AI4FM 2015 to another workshop, conference or a journal. Submission is by email to: ai4fm2015@ai4fm.org Please submit an abstract up to 3 pages in a PDF format. The extended abstracts will be handed out to all participants, and will be made into a technical report prior to the workshop. Acceptance for presentation at the workshop will be made by the organisers based on relevance to the workshop. Organisers --------------- * Leo Freitas (Newcastle University, UK) * Iain Whiteside (University of Edinburgh, UK) * Gudmund Grov (Heriot Watt University, UK) Contact Details ---------------- If you have any queries, please email the organisers at the following email address: ai4fm2015@ai4fm.org