On Thursday, 26 March 2026, leading voices from industry and academia gathered at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm for a full-day Industry-Academia AI Workshop co-hosted by Digital Futures. The event brought together researchers, engineers, and executives to exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration across Sweden’s rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
The workshop, held on KTH’s main campus, attracted a broad range of participants from leading technology and industry companies, alongside leading academic researchers from KTH, Linköping University, and Chalmers University of Technology.
KTH’s President, Anders Söderholm, and Vice President for Research, Annika Borgenstam, opened the workshop with insightful welcome addresses that highlighted the importance of strengthening Sweden’s and Europe’s AI capabilities for long-term competitiveness and independence. They also explained that the workshop is part of a broader initiative to strengthen Sweden’s AI research, led by KTH, Linköping University, and Chalmers University of Technology, through the creation of a national AI Institute. The workshop serves as an invitation to industrial partners to engage in and contribute to this initiative.
During the day, workshop participants could listen to presentations from invited speakers who addressed a variety of topics, such as perception, control of robots, autonomous vehicles and aircraft, video game animation, and edge computing. Speakers emphasized the growing importance of deploying AI systems that are both scalable and reliable in real-world environments.
Other presentations explored applications of AI in finance, cybersecurity, gaming, music, and telecommunications. Discussions reflected a clear trend toward increasingly integrated and “agentic” AI systems capable of decision-making under uncertainty. Researchers also highlighted the importance of designing AI systems that can assess their own limitations—an emerging priority for ensuring safety and trust.
A panel discussion on “Sweden as an AI Nation” brought strategic perspectives into focus. Representatives from innovation hubs and industry stressed the need for closer collaboration, long-term investment, and stronger international positioning to ensure Sweden remains competitive in the global AI landscape.
The event underscored a shared commitment among participants to deepen partnerships and translate research into real-world impact—an essential step as AI continues to reshape industries and societies worldwide.
The workshop was organized by Urban Forssell, Head of AI Strategy & Innovation at KTH Research Office/Digital Futures and Alexandre Proutiere, Professor Decision & Control Systems at KTH, and is an event part of the KTH Center for AI initiative.
