News

Great interest in WASP-HS

Published: February 12, 2020

WASP-HS invited universities, industry and the public sector to an open dialogue about artificial intelligence. Almost 150 people participated with great expectations on collaboration.

When an open meeting for cooperation between WASP-HS and public and private partners in Sweden was organized in Stockholm on February 12, many wanted to join in on the ten-year initiative funded by the Wallenberg Foundations for research on AI and its importance for the development of society.

The day consisted of two parts where the morning gathered representatives from Swedish universities and the afternoon was open to industry and the public sector.

One of the participants was Pernilla Jonsson, Head of Ericsson Consumer and Industry Lab, and also board member of WASP-HS.

“It is very good that we can gather people from different sectors in this way to contribute to the discussion of what issues are important to research,” says Pernilla Jonsson.

“WASP-HS will be a platform where we can exchange knowledge, gain skills development and learn from each other. It is important that the knowledge we gain from WASP-HS reach out to society,” she notes.

Next public meeting arranged by WASP-HS will take place on March 12 in Stockholm. Read more and register for the AI for Humanity and Society 2020 conference.

Investment of the Wallenberg Foundations

The mission of WASP-HS is to study the impact of the technology transition resulting from the development of AI and autonomous systems. In particular, the research program will analyze ethical, economic, labor market, socio-economic and legal aspects.

The program is interdisciplinary: the humanities and social sciences are combined with technological research.

The ten-year program includes creation of a large graduate school, with up to 70 PhD students. At least ten new research teams and twelve visiting professors will be recruited.

Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation are allocating up to SEK 670 million to the program over ten years.

WASP-HS includes the following components:

• A research program aiming at forming an interdisciplinary community across the funded projects
• A national graduate school
• Recruitment of junior and visiting faculty across disciplines
• International partnerships and activities.