DFiR debate meeting I: The Danish ecosystem for Artificial Intelligence - balances and barriers

The debate will focus on potentials rather than risks, and the conversation will be centered around balances and barriers in the Danish ecosystem. In DFiR's view, a healthy ecosystem surrounding artificial intelligence for research and innovation consists of competences and capacity within four pillars:

• Data (e.g. public data in datavejviser.dk)
• Software (e.g. computer scientists who can develop algorithms to process data)
• Hardware (e.g. DeiC and private providers who can run the algorithms)
• Application (e.g. researchers or entrepreneurs with insights into problems in health or climate)

A discussion of the balances between these pillars will form the basis of our debate. It is important for there to be a reasonable level of competences and capacity within each pillar, and for the processes and networks that connect them to be well functioning.

A key question is this: Are we focusing investments correctly, and is there particular potential to be gained from increasing investments in specific pillars? Should we invest in additional computing power or are funds better spent investing in research projects that fund more PhD students in computer science? Are there specific barriers within each pillar and can they be addressed through policy initiatives or regulation? A separate question relates to the balances between application areas. Are there greater potentials in some research areas than others and are certain areas overlooked in the current funding landscape? Furthermore, questions will be asked about private actors' access to the ecosystem. How do we support a private market that applies research within AI? We will not be able to realise the full potential of this area if only publicly funded research communities have proper access to it.

Program:

Panel discussion:

• Centre director Serge Belongie, The Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence, University of Copenhagen
• CEO Cecilie Brøkner, Innovation Fund Denmark
• Assistant Professor Sine Zambach, CBS and member of the Scientific Data Ethics Council at ATV
• Professor Aasa Feragen, DTU and Danish Data Science Academy
• Head of Digitalization Policy Andreas Holbak Espersen, Confederation of Danish Industry
• Head of department Jan Madsen, DTU, Digital Advisor at ATV, and advisor to the European Commission

The debate will be moderated by chair Frede Blaabjerg, Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy.

• Register for the event or for receiving a link to access a recording of the event 

• Read more about DFiR's debate series: Artificial intelligence in research and innovation