The conference “Research Opportunities at the Intersection of Society, Life Sciences, and Technology” brought together researchers from across AI, life sciences, humanities, and social sciences to discuss how different fields can work together to tackle major societal challenges. Jointly organized by WASP, WASP-HS, and DDLS in Uppsala May 7 and 8, the event focused on both the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with rapid advances in AI. The event had around 200 participants.

One of the strongest themes throughout the conference was that AI is never just about technology — it also affects democracy, healthcare, public institutions, and everyday life. In her keynote talk, Strategic Advisor to Karolinska Institute and adjunct professor at Umeå University Maja Fjaestad spoke about how algorithms and AI systems increasingly influence society and political decision-making. She highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability, and public participation, arguing that people need to understand and question the technologies shaping their lives. 

The role of AI in healthcare and life sciences was another major focus. Olli Kallioniemi,  Research Director at FIMM, University of Helsinki, and Professor of Molecular Precision Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and SciLifeLab, discussed how AI and large-scale health data could help drive precision medicine and improve healthcare in the future, while also raising important ethical and legal questions.  

Danica Kragic, Professor at the School of Computer Science and Communication at KTH focused her keynote on advances in robotics and physical AI, showing how intelligent systems are becoming better at interacting with both people and the physical world.  

The conference also highlighted growing Nordic and European collaboration around AI research. Speakers including Arto Klami of ELLIS Institute Finland, Stine Lomborg of CAISA, and Malcolm Langford of TRUST shared examples of new initiatives focused on trustworthy, human-centered AI and stronger cross-border cooperation. 

Alongside the keynote talks, the NEST Grants and Research Initiation Grants presented their projects. PhD students and postdocs presented research on topics ranging from machine learning in healthcare to AI and innovation, biodiversity, and machine psychology. Workshops throughout the day explored issues such as precision medicine, AI governance, legal accountability, and the future of foundation models. 

Overall, the conference showed how closely connected AI, society, and the life sciences have become — and how important interdisciplinary collaboration will be in shaping the future of research and innovation.