Overcoming fears of artificial intelligence

Meeri Haataja sits on a chair, cross legged and hands on one knee, smiling at the camera in front of a white wall filled with a projection of old toy robots.
Lead text
Helsinki startups develop artificial intelligence (AI) that is safe to users. Ethical AI does not replace the human touch but provides assistance and support for decision-making.
Saidot application open on laptop
Show in landscape format
Off

Saidot controls the risks of AI technology

Who: The company founded in Finland in 2018 develops technology that promotes AI governance and transparency. The founders have extensive experience in the development of AI and in data protection. The technology is in the beta stage, in which it is developed together with customers.

What: Saidot’s technology allows businesses to create a register for the risk management and documentation of AI applications. The service enables a business to prevent risks related to AI. The operation of an application can be opened for evaluation by the business’s stakeholder groups including customers and employees as well as by the authorities in the future.

The technology also helps businesses to meet the requirements of the European Union’s AI regulation, which is now under preparation. The technology is scalable, that is, it is suitable for businesses of all sizes. Saidot has customers in Europe, North America and Asia. One of the customers is the City of Helsinki.

“Our dream is to develop our company into a symbol of reliable AI. We seek to promote understanding of the fact that technology can be used to do a lot of good. However, blind faith does not work, but we need AI quality controllers and open communication about the functioning of the technology and its limits,” says Meeri Haataja, CEO and Co-founder of Saidot.

Silo AI visualisation, where a car that has been highlighted by a blue ring looks to turn to the left at a busy crossroads, pedestrians crossing are framed by blue boxes. This scene is shown but the image darkens to black the further away from the center you get.
Show in landscape format
Off

Silo AI is the largest concentration of AI in the Nordics

Who: Silo AI is a private AI lab founded in 2017. Its core team consists of world-class AI professionals. This Helsinki-based company has doubled its personnel and sales every year. Today Silo AI employs 150 people in five countries.

What: Silo AI produces AI-related solutions for businesses, customized to their specific needs. AI is not a product that can be purchased off the shelf, but it always needs to be applied to the purpose. Silo AI helps businesses to develop their own AI technology. The company has carried out projects with major international corporations related, for example, to smart mobility, heavy industry, health care and urban infrastructure.

“Our approach is down to earth: we want to produce AI for people. Technology will not replace humans but help us. AI can support decision-making, but humans will continue to have the final word and bear the responsibility. Our objective is to be the flagship of AI in Europe,” says Peter Sarlin, CEO and Co-founder of Silo AI.

Standing at the start of a small pier, it ends a few metres ahead where a ladder drops into what is a large lake, hills and trees surrounding it on the horizon. It's a sunny but partly cloudy day.
Show in landscape format
Off

Neuroflux’s innovation detects weaknesses in wastewater networks

Who: A cloud service originating from an innovation competition of Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY developed into Neuroflux, a company founded in 2018. The Neuroflux software helps water utilities to interpret data that reflect problems and defects in the system. The software has been adopted by several domestic water utilities, and Neuroflux plans to expand into international markets.

What: The Neuroflux AI technology utilizes the existing meters of water utilities. Most of the data produced by sensors installed in the network used to be wasted. The Neuroflux software translates this data into a format that can be utilized easily. For example, the software detects blockages and infiltration and inflows into a wastewater network.

“The majority of wastewater networks are aged and in poor condition. Stormwater inflow and infiltration are a worldwide problem. About half of the water entering water treatment plants should not be there. We can fix this problem and make water utility operations 50% more efficient. If the volumes of water to be treated can be reduced significantly, this translates into a clear saving in costs and into environmental benefits,” says Neuroflux CEO Tuomas Koskinen.

Zenrobotics mechanical robot arm in factory sorting waste from a conveyor belt as it hangs above it. The machine itself is a black box with metal claws attached beneath it.
Show in landscape format
Off

ZenRobotics’ AI-powered robots sort waste

Who: In 2007 researchers at Aalto University looked for an application in industry for an AI developed by them. They found such an application in waste management and founded a company in the same year. Today this Helsinki-based company has 70 employees and customers in close to 20 countries.

What: ZenRobotics was the first company in the world that thought of harnessing the power of AI in waste processing. The company produces robotic arms that detect and sort waste. The robots enable valuable and recyclable materials to be recovered from waste flows.

“The mission of ZenRobotics is to revolutionize the recycling industry and to advance progress towards the circular economy with the help of digitalization and automation. Owing to robotics and data, recycling plants can pick increasingly clean and valuable materials from waste flows. Thus plants can grow their business, improve occupational safety and promote the circular economy,” says Tuuli Mäkelä, Head of Marketing at ZenRobotics.

Show image on the left
Off
Show created/updated
On
Show in search dropdown
Off
Teaser text
Helsinki startups develop artificial intelligence (AI) that is safe to users. Ethical AI does not replace the human touch but provides assistance and support for decision-making.