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Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation donates EUR 3.2 million to Aalto to create the House of AI

Published: 14.11.2023

Donation will be used to establish a multidisciplinary AI research cluster at Aalto University.

3 students walking and 2 sitting on couches at Dipoli — Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto / Tuomas Uusheimo.

The Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation has granted Aalto University a donation of EUR 3.2 million to strengthen its AI expertise. With the donation, Aalto University will establish the House of AI research cluster to produce scientific research and practical applications in the field of artificial intelligence.

Exploiting the potential of AI in an ethically sustainable way is vital for Finland's competitiveness and for solving the sustainability challenges of the world.

‘Our foundation has invested significant sums in AI research over the years. Today's rapid developments are enabling the application of AI in businesses in a whole new way. We want to support this so that Finnish research expertise can be utilised in a more agile way in companies' business operations,’ says Aaro Cantell, Chairman of the Board of the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation.

At the heart of the House of AI is high-quality scientific research and close collaboration between researchers and businesses. Research knowledge on AI will be used for new applications in different fields using rapid piloting methods.

‘A warm thank you to the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation for its significant contribution to this key area for Finland's competitiveness. With the funding, we will develop a world-class multidisciplinary hub at Aalto, where strong expertise in artificial intelligence will be refined for the benefit of companies and society as a whole,’ says Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto University.

The use of artificial intelligence is growing at an accelerating pace in the world, with new applications emerging all the time. Multidisciplinarity offers many new opportunities for AI research. The House of AI will also support the training of developers and practitioners of multidisciplinary AI methods.

The application areas that are important for solving sustainability challenges are a priority for the House of AI. A collaborative project is being launched including one on the future of electrical energy systems, involving electrical engineering, economics and artificial intelligence research.

‘Countries that invest in AI now are likely to reap significant benefits from this technological breakthrough. Aalto University's bold investment in the stronger application of AI across the university's research areas will benefit research, companies and future graduates,’ says Antti Aarnio, Executive Director of the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation.

Aalto University already has very strong expertise and networks in AI research. Aalto coordinates the extensive activities of the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) and plays an important role in the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) network.

With the House of AI, Aalto's artificial intelligence research will expand to include more comprehensive collaboration with other disciplines and companies. The university's multidisciplinary expertise and international networks in engineering, arts and business provide a strong foundation for the development and application of AI.