Artificial intelligence is a central research topic at the University of Oulu
"At the University of Oulu, artificial intelligence has been studied and applied for a long time. The most significant research merits and the longest history are in the field of computer vision, but nowadays AI has an important role in virtually all fields of research," says Dean Jukka Riekki from the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.
"In our faculty and university, we are actively developing the utilisation of AI in research, teaching, and daily work. For example, this autumn several courses are piloting AI assistants to support students. Together with IT services, we are also starting to pilot solutions that allow for the secure management and use of large language models within the university's own environment."
There has also been active discussion about AI in the city of Oulu. A group called the Growth Enterprise Group has prepared business-driven initiatives aimed at making Oulu the most business-friendly international growth centre in Finland. The top priority among these initiatives is the hope to establish a centre for applied AI research, combining business and academic research, in connection with the University of Oulu.
"The possibilities of establishing the research centre are currently being explored. In any case, our university will maintain a strong focus on AI research and development," Dean Riekki says.
Another initiative from the group is the ‘Growth eMBA’ education programme, which would train experts for the needs of growth companies. Professor Petri Ahokangas from Oulu Business School explains that a working group has also been assembled to address this initiative.
“The role of artificial intelligence is emphasised in building future growth. Its application in business decision-making and the creation of new markets is changing corporate management and education in the field,” Ahokangas notes.
The class of 1968 alumni from the University’s Department of Electrical Engineering organised a discussion event in Oulu on 12 September 2025, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between different actors in Oulu in the development of AI.
"Oulu’s main competitors in Finland are especially Helsinki and Tampere. Oulu’s strengths include, for example, wireless technology and energy-efficient computing," says Emeritus Professor Matti Pietikäinen, who convened the event.
Research Initiatives on the Edge of the New
Among the university’s profile areas, artificial intelligence is particularly connected to the 6G Flagship Programme, co-development of people and intelligent technologies, and research into the future of digital healthcare.
Assistant Professor Lauri Lovén leads the Future Computing Group research team and coordinates the decentralised AI research strand within the national 6G Flagship Research Programme.
“6G is expected to reach consumer markets sometime in the early 2030s, but we have already studied it for years. The development of AI has brought fundamentally new dimensions to it,” Lovén says.
“The networks of the first generations of mobile communications were mainly telephone networks, enabling communication between people. Then came data transmission between people and machines and between machines themselves. The next steps will be data transmission between humans and AI, as well as between AI agents—areas where many questions remain.”
“Personal AI assistants or even entire armies of assistants may soon be available, and we can already begin to anticipate the enormous computing and data transfer capacity they will require.”
Lovén is contributing AI expertise to a project developing sustainable and competitive transition pathways for industrial carbon management. The Strategic Research Council (STN), operating under the Research Council of Finland, has just decided on the funding.
Another funded project is exploring how artificial intelligence, intangible capital, and management can be combined to renew working life, enhance corporate competitiveness, and support public sector decision-making. Among the researchers involved are Marja Matinmikko-Blue, Karin Väyrynen, and Susanne Uusitalo.
Artificial Intelligence as a Theme at the University Business Forum in October
Artificial intelligence will also be discussed at the University Business Forum held on 30 October 2025, offering the latest research insights and opportunities for collaboration with the University of Oulu. Speakers at the event include ETLA's Heli Koski, the University of Helsinki's Sasu Tarkoma, CGI's John Bailey, and Heidi Kananen from Valve Branding.
Eight themed sessions will provide deeper insights into the various topics. Registration for the University Business Forum is open until 23 October.
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