News

May 19, 2025

Chinese Navy deploys AI in warship degaussing operation >

The Chinese Navy has deployed artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time in a warship degaussing operation, improving operational efficiency by 60 percent, according to the Global Times.

May 19, 2025

AI Literacy Day at VU: Educators Explore AI Literacy in Education >

During the AI Literacy Day at VU, educators, support staff, and policymakers gathered to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can be responsibly integrated into education. Five key themes took center stage.

May 19, 2025

Israel uses AI for attacks in Gaza: from 50 targets per year to 100 per day >

According to an article in Het Parool, Israel uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify targets in Gaza faster, more accurately, and more frequently. This has led to a massive increase in the number of targeted attacks, with severe consequences for civilians.

May 15

Who Controls Our Internet? Cloud, Power, and Public Values >

The recent move by SIDN (the foundation managing the .nl domain) to Amazon Web Services may seem technical, but researchers from the University of Amsterdam warn it touches the core of our digital sovereignty.

May 14, 2025

Databricks acquires open-source database startup Neon for $1 billion >

US-based software company Databricks, with strong ties to Amsterdam and the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), has announced the acquisition of open-source database startup Neon for $1 billion.

May 14, 2025

Amsterdam-based Volta Ventures launches new €20 million fund for tech startups >

Volta Ventures, an Amsterdam-based venture capital firm, has launched a new €20 million fund to support promising tech startups in the Benelux.

May 14, 2025

Roboat: testing autonomous boats in the canals of Amsterdam >

Roboat is an innovative project testing autonomous boats in the canals of Amsterdam, offering solutions for urban logistics, transportation, and waste collection.

14 May 2025

AI020 Video Series - Felienne Hermans: In Praise of Messy Life >

At the AI020 conference in Amsterdam, professor Felienne Hermans ( Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) delivered a powerful keynote that struck a chord with many in the audience especially educators, researchers, and developers working at the intersection of AI and learning.

13 May 2025

How a Lecturer Struggles with ChatGPT >

How do you teach critical thinking when students can outsource their work to AI? Hans de Zwart, philosophy of technology lecturer at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, shares how tools like ChatGPT are transforming not always positively his teaching practice.

June 16

Why You Don’t Need to Understand AI to Join the Conversation >

AI is rapidly transforming society but how do we ensure everyone can take part in the discussion, not just the experts? Dagmar Heeg, adviser at NEWS and PhD graduate in critical AI literacy, argues that understanding the technical details isn’t a prerequisite for meaningful engagement.

June 15

Quantum Tech Moves from Lab to Life – Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences Lead the Way >

From theory to impact: how the Netherlands is accelerating quantum innovation

10 June

CWI joins forces with startup Raynetics to push the frontiers of 3D image reconstruction >

AI-driven microscopy meets computational imaging excellence.

June 3

New ICAI OpenGov Lab Aims to Make Government Information More Accessible and Understandable >

Amsterdam, 28 May 2025 — The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Dutch central government have jointly launched the ICAI OpenGov Lab, a new research initiative focused on improving the accessibility and interpretability of public sector information through cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The lab will focus on two major AI domains: Information Retrieval (IR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Its goal is to make open government data easier to find, enrich, and understand for citizens, journalists, researchers, and policymakers alike.

Heartbeat analysis helps unmask deepfakes >

Researchers from NFI and UvA present an innovative method to detect deepfakes by analyzing subtle facial color changes that follow the rhythm of the heartbeat.