First of all it is my great pleasure to congratulate to the 20^th anniversary of the Journal of Advanced Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics (JACIII). The first volume of the journal was published in 1997 – and now twenty years later we reached the Vol. 21. Over these years JACIII was one of the forefront and determining journals of soft computing and intelligent informatics and focused to the most up-to-date topic despite the fast vary and evolvement of this research field through its regular and special sessions. One of the greatest merit of the journal is that it is able be serve as a common platform for the most relevant researchers and societies in order to expand the boundaries of many related fields including Fuzzy Logic, Neural Networks, Genetic and Evolutionary Computation, Biologically-Inspired Computation Systems and so on.

In these days the most up-coming challenges are connected to the topics of JACIII including the current special issue as well. Self-driving cars, Wearables, Internet-of-Things and many other phenomena are imaginable with the advanced Computational Intelligence behind the rooftop. Expert- and decision-making systems and effective usage of big data request the highly developed Fuzzy Inference Systems. Monitoring of social media in order to get useful information regarding the habits of human users and artificial robots cannot be realized without Web and Artificial Intelligence. Soft-computing based methods and many other intelligent and automated solutions are needed for eligible Data mining – and for the further preparation of the gathered data. Moreover, the demands of future smart city concepts, developed green energy producing solutions and connected power grids present the scientists with specific challenges whereon Smart Grid concept can be the only answer.

I would like to invite the Reader to an interesting reading which deals with the aforementioned challenges and scenarios.

Furthermore, I hope that JACIII can continue its contribution to the leading-edge research and we can celebrate the 30^th anniversary together as well.