Peter Sarlin makes substantial donation to strengthen AI research in Finland

The substantial donation supports AI research at thirteen universities: Aalto University, Hanken School of Economics, National Defence University, Tampere University, University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki, University of Lapland, University of Jyväskylä, University of Oulu, University of the Arts Helsinki, University of Turku, University of Vaasa, and Åbo Akademi. Additionally, the donation supports the activities of the international ELLIS Institute.

The forthcoming professorships represent a significant step in strengthening the AI research ecosystem in Finland and Europe and in promoting long-term competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence, while also supporting the activities of the international ELLIS Institute. 

Foundation PS, established by Peter Sarlin, aims to continue supporting world-class AI research in Finland, with a particular focus on the activities of the PS Fellow network formed through the professorships.

“In today’s world, AI is a key driver for competitiveness and growth, and Finland's success relies on world-class expertise and talent. To succeed, we must strengthen our AI capabilities in research, education, and industrial applications. My donation is intended to foster and grow an attractive environment for world-class AI expertise and breakthroughs across multiple disciplines. Together, we can accelerate Finland’s and Europe’s competitiveness on the global AI stage,” says Peter Sarlin.

Donation to support new professorship

“Investment in AI research paves the way for significant breakthroughs in AI applications as well. Peter Sarlin's visionary donation for AI research strengthens the high-quality and ambitious AI research conducted at the University of Helsinki. The donation will be allocated to establishing a new AI professorship,” says University of Helsinki Rector Sari Lindblom. 

According to Sasu Tarkoma, Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Helsinki, the donation will significantly support AI research and its impact. 

“The AI research environment is now rapidly evolving with the CSC's supercomputer investment, the upcoming ELLIS Institute and new EU-funded AI activities. These investments will provide a strong base for cutting-edge research, offering resources, infrastructure, and international collaboration opportunities. This development creates excellent conditions to put Finnish AI research at the forefront of global research,” says Tarkoma. 

University of Helsinki has a long tradition in AI research

Petri Myllymäki, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, points out that Finland is one of the leading AI countries in Europe. 

“Our position is the result of long-term and innovative work by numerous Finnish pioneers in the field over decades. Finland's long tradition in this research area was also reflected in the Scientific Background Document for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. They noted that the work of Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "godfather" of artificial intelligence, is partly based on a result presented by Seppo Linnainmaa in his 1970 Helsinki University master’s thesis,” says Myllymäki. 

“The strong methodological tradition of Finnish AI research over more than five decades provides an excellent starting point for the multidisciplinary application of AI to solve problems in different disciplines as part of the ELLIS institute and the AI factory to be built around the LUMI supercomputer. The University of Helsinki's profile as a top university with a broad research focus provides excellent support for this development,” says Myllymäki. 

This news item was originally published on the University of Helsinki website on 15.1.2025