House of AI Brings Together AI, Domain Expertise, and Agile Research to Solve Industry Challenges

Established by Aalto University in 2024, the House of AI centre helps companies and organizations rapidly translate research results into practice. In the best cases, impactful AI solutions addressing real-world needs can be developed in just a few months. 

When House of AI was launched, Professor Heikki Mannila explained that its goal is to make the impact of the latest advances in artificial intelligence visible across different industries by combining Aalto’s strong AI expertise with deep domain-specific knowledge. This is achieved as quickly as possible through initiatives such as pilot projects. 

“A defining characteristic of House of AI is that our partnerships with companies are long-term, while the research activities themselves are highly agile. Projects may last anywhere from six months to three years, yet even a six-month project can produce multiple meaningful results,” says Mannila. 

Professor Ville Kyrki, a member of the center’s core research team, offers a recent example of this agility. The case involves a collaborative project with an industrial company that had started only a month earlier. 

“Last week, a researcher reported that they had developed an AI-based solution for failure prevention—a model that outperforms the company’s previous approach. Once the final tests are completed, the model can be deployed in production,” says Kyrki. 

According to Mannila, these themes do not operate in isolation but rather benefit from strong synergies. 

“Together, we identify new research topics, and our doctoral researchers are part of a multidisciplinary community. This is at least a multi-technology initiative, if not a truly multidisciplinary one,” Mannila summarizes. 

In practice, this may involve combining expertise in fields such as automation engineering, chemical engineering, or health technology with core AI capabilities. 

“We have advanced AI expertise through various workshops and collaborative projects. For example, we have organized roundtable discussions where researchers have shared their insights and provided perspectives on where the field is heading, what is currently possible, and what will become possible in the near future,” Kyrki explains. 

At the same time, the university has gained valuable insight into the practical business challenges companies are currently facing. 

The collaboration involves dozens of companies of different sizes. While most participants are large and medium-sized enterprises, smaller companies have also been actively included. 

House of AI operates through a lightweight, network-based structure. More than 30 postdoctoral researchers and doctoral candidates are involved in collaborative projects at Aalto University, while over 20 professors contribute to project preparation and research activities. 

“A large share of the research work is carried out by postdoctoral researchers, as they possess the necessary experience, the ability to work independently, and the readiness to engage with research immediately,” Kyrki explains. 

According to Kyrki, agility is built into collaborative research through mechanisms such as maintaining the flexibility to adjust research plans on both sides of the partnership. 

“We work in close and continuous collaboration. Researchers may spend time at company sites to ensure that knowledge and information flow as efficiently as possible.” 

House of AI is strongly connected not only with companies but also with other AI stakeholders. The centre strengthens Finland’s position at the forefront of international AI development by bringing together research, talent, and practical applications.  

“We are able to be pioneers both in the development of AI and in its interdisciplinary application. For example, the ELLIS Institute has brought significant numbers of experts from around the world to Finland. Finland is a strong and internationally respected AI hub in Europe,” says Mannila. 

Text: Heidi Hammarsten