On 15 September, Digital Futures welcomed a delegation from the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (SAIRI) and the UNIDO Global AI Alliance Centre of Excellence (AIM Global CoE) as part of an international knowledge exchange programme in Sweden.
SAIRI is a strategic AI research and innovation platform jointly established by the Shanghai Municipal Government and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Officially inaugurated at the 2019 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, SAIRI serves as Shanghai’s platform for AI research, innovation and industrial transformation. It has incubated more than 20 technology enterprises and is supported by nearly 30 advanced innovation labs.
Since 2024, SAIRI has also operated the UNIDO Global AI Alliance Centre of Excellence (AIM Global CoE), a multilateral platform for industrial AI cooperation developed under the framework of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The AIM Global CoE brings together industrial development and cutting-edge AI innovation, with a focus on building an international network of institutional partners working with applied and industrial AI.
Exploring opportunities for collaboration
During the visit the delegation met with Digital Futures representatives for an afternoon of presentations, discussions and lab visits. The programme included an introduction to Digital Futures by Executive Director Annika Szabo Portela and Urban Forssell, Head of AI Strategy and Innovation, followed by a research presentation by Qianwen Xu, Associate Professor at KTH.
Representatives from Shanghai presented their work and perspectives on AI research, innovation and industrial development, followed by a discussion and Q&A on potential areas of knowledge exchange and collaboration.
“It was a great opportunity to exchange perspectives with our colleagues from Shanghai and explore how our research communities can learn from each other. I hope this visit will lead to new connections and opportunities for collaboration in AI and sustainable digital technologies,” says Qianwen Xu, Associate Professor at KTH.
The delegation also had the opportunity to visit two of KTH’s research environments: the Intelligent Sustainable Grid Lab and Dig-it Lab, providing a glimpse into how digital technologies and AI are being explored in real-world research settings.
The visit provided an opportunity to strengthen connections between research, innovation and policy communities in Stockholm and Shanghai, and to explore future opportunities for international collaboration in AI and digital transformation.
Participants
Digital Futures and KTH
- Annika Szabo Portela, Executive Director, Digital Futures
- Urban Forssell, Head of AI Strategy and Innovation, Digital Futures
- Qianwen Xu, Associate Professor, KTH
- Vendela Hasselberg, Partner Liaison Officer, Digital Futures
Shanghai delegation
- Zhou Zijun, International Cooperation Lead, SAIRI, UNIDO AIM Global CoE
- Pan Yan, Deputy Director, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization
- Xu Hua, Director of the Financial Audit Division, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization
- Xie Shuqing, Director of the Law Enforcement Inspection Division, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization
- Jin Zhixian, Deputy Director of the Artificial Intelligence Development Division, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization
- Ju Xinjue, Director, Shanghai Radio Monitoring Station
- Xu Chun, Director, UNIDO AIM Global Centre of Excellence (CoE) and Vice President, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (SAIRI)
