Nordic partnership to boost AI in innovation district

Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway al have strong academic research organization within artificial intelligence. National academic AI centers in the five Nordic countries have now entered a partnership. They want to strengthen the role of universities in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Together, they signed a memorandum of understanding in Stockholm on February 26, 2025.

A strong unified voice for AI in academia

The agreement unites Sweden’s Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI), Norway’s NORA (Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium), Iceland’s CADIA (The Center for Analysis and Design of Intelligent Agents), and Denmark’s Pioneer Centre for AI (P1) which is anchored at Innovation District Copenhagen-partner University of Copenhagen. Together, these institutions aim to consolidate existing efforts within individual Nordic countries, creating a stronger, unified voice for academia.

Deep cultural and political ties

The Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—share deep cultural, historical, and political ties which have fostered strong inter-country relationships. Together, they form a region with a high standard of living, comprehensive welfare systems, and a solid commitment to democracy and human rights. This makes the agreement important for the innovation district.

For Innovation District Copenhagen, it is significant, whenever a partner improves ties to other Nordic institutions. We share values. We share core conditions and together we are a market of over 30 million people”: Anders Pall Skött, Head of Section, External partnerships, University of Copenhagen.

Bringing politicians together with researchers

The Nordic AIR is the first initiative of its kind in the Nordic region, focusing on Nordic foundational AI research for the benefit for Nordic society and industry. A key mission of the collaboration is bridging the gap between researchers and policymakers. By working together, the centers seek to ensure that politicians and decision-makers receive expert advice and evidence-based recommendations on the societal and ethical implications of artificial intelligence.

With its high level of digitalization, trust in institutions, strong democracies and social systems, and thriving public-private partnerships, the Nordic region provides an ideal setting for world-leading, socially responsible research in AI.” Serge Belongie, Director of The Pioneer Centre for AI.

Five Nordic AI-institutions

• Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence is based in Denmark. With a focus on fundamental AI research and positive societal impact, P1 coordinates activities across five Danish universities. P1 is headquartered at the University of Copenhagen and is supported by the Danish National Research Foundation and four private foundations.
• Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium (NORA) is a research consortium between 18 Norwegian universities, university colleges and research institutes. NORA is located in Norway and hosted by the University of Oslo.
• Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). WASP is a research program between Chalmers (Gothenburg), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm), Linköping University, Lund University, and Umeå University. WASP is located in Sweden and hosted by Linköping University.
• Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI) focuses on advancing fundamental AI research and fostering its practical applications. Headquartered at Aalto University, FCAI’s founding members also include the University of Helsinki and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. As part of the Research Council of Finland’s Flagship Program, FCAI serves as a hub for top-level research and societal impact, and creates a nationwide network that brings together expertise from various institutions to enhance Finland’s AI ecosystem.
• The Center for Analysis and Design of Intelligent Agents (CADIA) was founded in 2005 and is Iceland’s interdisciplinary research center in artificial intelligence spanning multiple departments at Reykjavik University. It comprises research activities in diverse areas, including Artificial-General Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Game-Playing Agents, Computer Vision, Cognitive Science, Explainable AI, and Natural Language Processing.