By Susanne Clement Justesen, AAU AAU Communication and Public Affairs. Translated by LeeAnn Iovanni, AAU Communication and Public Affairs.
Photo: AAU

AAU wants to be recognized for AI research that contributes to academic progress and solving major societal challenges. An essential prerequisite for success is talent development, so the university is now establishing five new research teams in 2025 called AI:X Labs.

Each team comprises talented AI researchers - the Lab directors - and PhD students from different departments. The individual AI:X Labs will help develop practical AI solutions in various areas such as early detection of signs of illness, intelligent traffic systems and cybersecurity.

Ambitious initiative

AAU's matchmaking event on 5 February is an important step on the way to AAU becoming a research spearhead in focused and integrated research on AI.

"AAU's AI:X Lab initiative’s research and career focus is very ambitious. So, we would like to encourage early-career researchers in particular to take part in our matchmaking event so that we can get the strongest profiles in AI research involved from the start," says Thomas Bak, Dean, Technical Faculty of IT and Design and initiator of the project.

Research with high societal impact

Dean Rasmus Antoft, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, is convinced that AAU's AI initiative will give research in the SSH area an even higher societal impact because the new AI solutions both open up new research perspectives and contribute to solving societal challenges based on humanities and social science insights.

Practical AI solutions for quality assurance of healthcare

By investing heavily in AI research, AAU helps drive innovation and technological development that can lead to new discoveries and solutions to complex problems such as in healthcare.

"Artificial intelligence will play a crucial role in the healthcare system going forward. The establishment of AI:X Lab gives AAU the ability to be at the forefront of developing practical AI solutions for quality assurance, clinical decision support, diagnostics and treatment. So, it’s important that our most talented researchers in the health sciences are involved in this work," says Dean Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen, Faculty of Medicine.

Global AI solutions to global challenges

One of the strategic goals of the AI initiative is that AAU have a significant profile nationally and internationally.

"The Faculty of Engineering and Science must continue to be at the forefront of developing future solutions to global challenges. So, AI must be considered in the entire value chain from basic research via mission-oriented research to product development. AI:X Lab will decisively position Aalborg University as a key player in the development of global AI-based solutions, says Dean Jesper Wengel, Faculty of Engineering and Science.

The AI project runs over a four-to-five-year period, and the funds come from the faculties' strategy and prioritization funding pools. The official inauguration of AI:X Labs is at the end of August.

Further information and registration

Read more about AAU's major AI investment on www.en.aix.aau.dk and Major new AI initiative at Aalborg University

Registration for AAU's matchmaking event must be done at  www.aix.aau.dk