National research centre to strengthen responsible AI use

National research centre to strengthen responsible AI use

The Danish government has launched a major initiative, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAISA), led by the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with Aalborg University. It is aimed at strengthening Denmark’s leadership in responsible AI innovation and development.

The centre will bring together respected researchers from these two top universities and three others – Aarhus University, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) – according to an announcement last month by the social sciences faculty at the University of Copenhagen.

The centre aims to explore how democracies like Denmark can best develop, govern and integrate AI technologies.

Funded with DKK50 million (US$7.5 million) by the government for its first three years, CAISA will collaborate with the Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence (P1), also based at the University of Copenhagen.

Established in 2021, P1 received DKK354 million for a 13-year mission to promote AI research focused on societal challenges, human-centered design and ethical innovation.

“CAISA will gather Denmark’s AI researchers to explore how we can develop and implement AI responsibly in a democracy,” said the new centre’s director, political scientist Professor Rebecca Adler-Nissen of Copenhagen University.

“This effort requires all hands – and minds – on deck. We’re launching initiatives to learn from real-world experiences around the world, apply the latest research, and collaborate across disciplines,” she stated.

An interdisciplinary national effort

CAISA’s deputy director, Professor Thomas B Moeslund, a media technology expert from Aalborg University, emphasised the importance of bridging technical expertise with social insight.

“Understanding AI is not just a technical challenge – it’s a societal one. That’s why CAISA is built as an interdisciplinary consortium, working in close collaboration with the Pioneer Centre,” he noted.

The centre’s ambition is to unite existing research environments, foster collaborations across public and private sectors, and guide policy and innovation through evidence-based insights.

“We must avoid reinventing the wheel. Instead, through collective research and collaboration, we aim to identify where AI can offer the greatest benefits – and where caution is needed,” Adler-Nissen added.

Frede Blaabjerg, distinguished professor of energy technology at Aalborg University and chair of the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy, praised CAISA as a timely initiative and told University World News.

“With AI increasingly present in both visible and invisible ways in our daily lives, this cross-disciplinary setup is unique. It can provide insights and recommendations that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.

“The Council is also exploring the long-term impact of AI on research practices and methodologies – areas where CAISA’s findings are expected to offer valuable guidance,” Blaabjerg stated.

Government support and national priorities

Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund highlighted the geopolitical and economic stakes involved and said at the launch: “Artificial intelligence plays a decisive role in global competition.

It’s vital that Europe stays at the forefront – not just the United States and China. But it’s equally important that we think carefully about how we implement these technologies and address the ethical dilemmas they bring. CAISA is a crucial step toward smarter, more informed solutions.”

Caroline Stage, minister for digitalisation, also welcomed the initiative: “Denmark has a strong digital foundation, but until now, we’ve lacked a central forum to align our efforts and move from talk to action.

“CAISA will serve as a national rallying point where research meets real-world application – bringing AI into our businesses, public services, and daily lives. That’s how we ensure AI makes a meaningful difference.”

CAISA will also initiate long-term research projects, or ‘moonshots’, aimed at fostering digital sovereignty and more democratic, responsible approaches to AI development.

“Because Denmark is built on trust and strong community values, we have an opportunity to explore how AI can strengthen societal cohesion while creating real value,” said centre director Rebecca Adler-Nissen. “If we succeed, Denmark can lead by example – not just at home, but globally.”

A vision for AI in society

In an opinion piece published by Politiken on 24 March, CAISA’s chief researchers outlined their vision for the centre and stressed the urgency of taking leadership in the ongoing technological revolution.

The authors – Rebecca Adler-Nissen, Serge Belongie, Roman Jurowetzki, Sune Lehmann, Stine Lomborg, Thomas B Moeslund, Morten Axel Pedersen, Helene Friis Ratner, Anna Rogers and Anders Søgaard – outlined seven key questions that CAISA will work to answer:

• How can AI strengthen democracy?

• How can we ensure regulation doesn’t stifle innovation?

• How can AI enhance competitiveness and reduce dependence on unreliable partners?

• How can AI help reduce inequality and foster social cohesion?

• How can AI support employees’ knowledge while increasing efficiency?

• How can AI empower citizens and fuel civic engagement?

• How can we ensure quality and accountability when decisions are automated?

The authors warned of missteps in AI adoption seen globally: “The current roll-out of AI in certain countries raises concerns about administrative misuse, threats to national security, and exploitation of personal data,” they wrote in Politiken [/]. They also cited authoritarian use of AI for surveillance and censorship as a cautionary tale.

“AI is being shaped by opportunism, investment, science, regulation, and demand – but also by the choices we make today. If we ask the right questions and rely on the right knowledge, we can avoid the chaos currently unfolding,” the researchers concluded.

Professor Petter Bae Brandtzaeg, of the University of Oslo and SINTEF Digital, commented to University World News: “The creation of CAISA in Denmark may be an important ‘warning system’ for our democracies in the age of AI.

“AI-generated content could fundamentally reshape how we debate, inform ourselves, and even perceive truth. CAISA’s mission to study and guide AI’s development is about future-proofing our democratic societies against the potential dangers of synthetic content.”

He argued that the initiative should be implemented all over Europe, as a coordinated effort, not just in Denmark.