Research & Art

Key Research Area: Digitalisation and AI

Digital technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics and mobile communications are cut through the whole society. In this page we give pointers to our research in the area. In the left-hand side navigation you will find our guidance and support for researchers, students and staff using AI tools in their work.
Aalto X Reality Keynote PiP by Matti Ahlgren
Photo by Matti Ahlgren.

This area represents over one third of the scientific publications and university education in the field of digitalisation and AI in Finland.

This forms the foundation for our spearhead in Finland’s drive towards the technological transformation of many aspects of society – from new consumer services to media, entertainment, education, health care, retail, and several areas of industry.

Research in digitalisation and AI relates to both theory and practice: computational and mathematical sciences, software and hardware technologies, secure communications, digital media, services, and engineering and management across technologies and industrial sectors.

This combination provides an excellent launching pad for interdisciplinary innovations. For instance, digitalisation and social media are topics which may only be profoundly understood via multidisciplinary viewpoints combining arts, business, science and technology.

Focus areas

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Digital services
  • Telecommunications
  • Power Systems
  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems
  • Acoustics and Audio Technology

Upcoming events

Person with holographic display in a classroom setting.
For Aalto community Staff trainings

AI Training 14 September – Getting Started with Generative AI – Safe and Responsible Use at Aalto (in English)

This training introduces Aalto’s generative AI tools and how to use them responsibly in your studies, teaching, or daily work. You'll learn how the Aalto AI Assistant works, what kind of content is safe to use with AI, and how to write effective prompts.
Person with holographic display in a classroom setting.
For Aalto community Staff trainings

AI Training 14 September – Getting Started with Generative AI – Safe and Responsible Use at Aalto (in Finnish)

Aalto’s generative AI tools and how to use them responsibly in your studies, teaching, or daily work. In this training, you'll learn how the Aalto AI Assistant works, what kind of content is safe to use with AI, and how to write effective prompts.
Event poster for “The Convergence of AI & Quantum Technologies” on 30 Sept 2026 in Espoo and online
Lectures and seminars

The Convergence of AI and Quantum Technologies

This panel discussion will explore how the two burgeoning fields of quantum technology and AI are beginning to converge and examine their potential impact on Finland’s long-term competitiveness.
Desk with a colourful learning mind map reading LEARNING NOW, laptop and blurred students in a bright room
For Aalto community Lectures and seminars, Staff trainings, IT & digital tools, Support for teams, Training to support research, Workshops

Marsio Presents, 8 October 2026: Learning Now

Marsio Presents: Learning Now is a morning event for Aalto educators interested in discussing current topics regarding teaching. This time, the focus is in learning: what is learning now? Hear short, concrete cases from colleagues on xxx. Join us to gain practical ideas, discuss ethical questions, and reflect together on what meaningful learning looks like today.

Latest news in this area

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Aalto Magazine, Research & Art Published:

From quantum labs to startups: Aalto Inventors turns researchers into founders

The Aalto Inventors programme cultivates thought leaders of tomorrow’s disruptive industries.
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Studies Published:

New: Student Guide AI Helper and Aalto's secure AI tools for students

The new AI Helper is an AI tool that helps you quickly find the right instructions and pages. You also have access to Aalto AI Assistant, our university’s own secure artificial intelligence. Please read the AI user instructions and practical tips for studying.
Cooperation, Research & Art Published:

’Learning doesn’t end with a degree’ – Heli Bergström fully embraced the AI transformation

Aalto University alum Heli Bergström aims to support the development of Aalto’s doctoral education through her legacy gift.
Screenshot of Aalto Student Guide AI helper interface.
University Published:

New AI helpers for Student Guide and applicants available on aalto.fi

New conversational AI features, Student Guide AI helper and Applicant’s AI helper, are available on aalto.fi for students and applicants. An updated version of the internal Chat with aalto.fi feature has also been released.

Flagships and Centres of Excellence

FCAI logo

Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence FCAI (external link)

A community of experts that brings together top talents in academia, industry and the public sector to solve real-life problems using both existing and novel AI.

QTF-hero logo

Quantum Technology Finland – The National Centre of Excellence (external link)

The national Quantum Technology Finland (QTF) Centre of Excellence brings together scientific and technological excellence and cutting-edge research infrastructures to harness quantum phenomena in solid-state-based quantum devices and applications.

Logo of ELLIS Institute Finland with a striped map of Europe above and multicoloured letters 'ellis'.

ELLIS Institute Finland (external link)

ELLIS Institute Finland is a world-class research hub in AI and machine learning and part of the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS).

Departments in this area

Computer Science building front entrance, Aalto University, photo Matti Ahlgren / Tietotekniikan talon sisäänkäynti, Aalto-yliopisto

Department of Computer Science

We are an internationally-oriented community and home to world-class research in modern computer science.

MS

Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis

Our main research areas are algebra and discrete mathematics, analysis, applied mathematics and mechanics, stochastics and statistics, and systems analysis and operations research.

Aalto University / Aalto satellite / photo: Mikko Raskinen

Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering (ELE) conducts research and arranges related teaching courses in the fields of electromagnetics, micro and nanotechnology, radio engineering, and space technology.

 Äänen viivettä on tutkittu Suomen hiljaisimmassa huoneessa Otaniemessä sijaitsevassa kaiuttomassa huoneessa.  Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto / Mikko Raskinen

Department of Information and Communications Engineering

The department of Information and Communications Engineering has a strong focus in the ICT area varying from ICT technology to core electrical engineering and its basic phenomena.

Featured research bodies and networks

Geometric composition of intersecting lines in blue, orange, and grey on a black background.

House of AI

The centre brings together top researchers and companies to develop new applications and possibilities for artificial intelligence

HIIT logo

Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT (external link)

Collaborative institute for research on information technology.

HAIC logo

Helsinki-Aalto Institute for Cybersecurity HAIC (external link)

Excellence in information security research and education.

virtual acoustics research group doing measurements in a concert hall

Virtual Acoustics

Professor Tapio Lokki

Department of Information and Communications Engineering
aalto center for autonomous systems banner and logo

Aalto Center for Autonomous Systems (external link)

ACAS combines Aalto expertise on various fields to tackle challenging systems-related research problems related to the autonomous operation of networked machines.

The FCAI Logo

AI-DOC – Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence, doctoral program (external link)

Finnish Doctoral Program Network in Artificial Intelligence.

Infrastructure

Aalto Factory of the Future videowall

Aalto Factory of the Future

The Aalto Factory of the Future is an infrastructure to support innovation in future industrial automation, industry 4.0 & 5.0 and beyond. It allows test and trials of advanced technologies, such as future wireless communication (5G / Wifi6 and beyond) in industry.

MAGICS-infrastruktuuri mahdollistaa virtuaalitodellisuuden hyödyntämisen muun muassa taiteellisissa esityksissä. Kuva: Aalto Studios.

MAGICS – Media – Arts – Games – Interaction – Computing – Science (external link)

MAGICS is an infrastructure network to support research into motion recording, and virtual environments. It is a joint effort of Aalto University, Tampere University and the University of the Arts Helsinki.

Piece of code on the computer screen, colourful text

Science-IT

Infrastructure for high-level computational research.

Services
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Aalto nextG

Aalto nextG is an infrastructure supporting research on future mobile networks. It is operated by the technical support service in the Department of Information and Communications Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering.

A dancer performing in a motion capture studio setting

Aalto Studios

Aalto Studios weaves together the players of the creative economy: designers, filmmakers, YouTubers, game developers, performing artists, educators, angel investors, public-sector operators, and more in Finland, Scandinavia, Europe, and beyond.

Research and learning infrastructures
Anturipiiri

Aalto Electronics-ICT - Electronics test facilities

School of Electrical Engineering offers 4 electronic test facilities

Services

Key research area contact

 Jussi Nissilä

Jussi Nissilä

Manager, Digitalisation and AI Key Research Area, Aalto Networking Platform
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