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How should Europe shape AI for the future? 

From customer service chatbots to virtual assistants like Siri and social robots helping children learn, we increasingly find ourselves talking to machines. But how does this affect human communication? Communication scientist Jochen Peter and his colleagues at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) are studying Human-Machine Communication (HMC) and how technology is reshaping our interactions.  

AI’s rise in healthcare promises faster diagnoses and improved patient care. However, according to Hannah van Kolfschooten, a PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Law, patient rights risk being overshadowed by AI hype. “AI should improve care, not just give hospitals a ‘cool’ image,” she argues in an interview. Her research focuses on safeguarding patient rights within the European Union.

The Breaking Barriers program, launching in spring 2025, is set to accelerate AI startups in the Netherlands. 

"Data science is really becoming like the lingua franca for domains to talk to each other." In a recent episode of the UC Berkeley Data Science Education podcast, Paul Groth, Professor of Algorithmic Data Science and Director of the Data Science Centre at the University of Amsterdam, explores the interdisciplinary power of data science and its transformative role in education and research.

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and VU Amsterdam have launched the AI Maturity in Education Scan (AIMES), a tool to help educators integrate AI ethically and confidently, regardless of their current AI knowledge.

On 3 February, the HvA launched its new minor, AI for Creative Thinkers and Designers, with a kickoff at Melkweg. 

Where is it going wrong?

The fifth annual Techleap report provides a comprehensive overview of the Dutch tech ecosystem, highlighting strong growth in venture capital investment despite challenges in early stage funding.