SWECA serves as a business connection between Sweden and Central America, providing updated information, networks, and contacts to Swedish companies that are members and have interests in the region. The goal is to promote increased trade and collaborations between Sweden and the Central American region. For this reason, participants included The Governor of Östergötland, Carl Fredrik Graf and several Central American ambassadors.
The seminar featured presentations on AI and Security by representatives from NOA, NFC, and AI Sweden, amongst others. Two key points were emphasized across the presentations – how AI can be made secure and how AI can be utilized to create security.
The impact of AI on security issues
Researchers from Linköping University also participated and presented their work in the field. One of them was Fredrik Heintz, Professor at the Department of Computer and Information Science (IDA), who described his work and the seminar:
– My presentation provided an overview of what AI is and how AI affects security issues. One message is that AI will have a significant impact on all aspects of society, including security issues.
Heintz stressed the importance of recognizing that AI is here now and not something that will happen in several years.
– The key is to realize that those who effectively use AI will have a significant advantage compared to those who do not. This applies to criminals and states with interests different from ours. Therefore, it is crucial for us to ensure that we have the competence and capability needed to develop AI technology and use it effectively, for example, within the police force.
LiU's role in future collaborations
Jan-Åke Larsson, the head of the Department of Electrical Engineering (ISY), presented the quantum technology lab and the research conducted there. During the visit, three experiments were active, one of which focused on quantum encryption to meet future requirements for secure information transfer. Larsson described the day afterwards:
– The visit to the lab was a break from all the presentations and seemed very appreciated. Guests were very interested in, for example, cloud solutions and sovereignty over their own data.
Larsson also highlighted Linköping University's role in the field of AI and security.
– The day focused a lot on collaboration between LiU, participating companies, and the represented countries' academies and industries. It's exciting to see how much Linköping University has contributed to our surrounding society. It became very clear during the seminar with alumni who are now working with, among other things, AI and security.
Maria Engelmark, Director of International Affairs at Linköping University, also gave a brief presentation on the university's internationalization strategy and international collaborations with a focus on Central America.
Development Beyond the Academy
Throughout the day, presentations were also given by leading companies based in Östergötland. CloudBackend AB, XIOS/3 AB, and AXIS Communications AB, for example, presented their work on digital national sovereignty, secure application technology, and how AI with smart cameras can enhance security in society.