Info Session: The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission Focus on Digital Transformation, AI and Data

This info session, jointly organised with Research Council of Finland, provides an overview of the Joint Research Centre’s (JRC) and its current research activities in the broad field of Digital Transformation, AI and Data. It will also highlight opportunities for collaboration with Finnish research organisations and stakeholders.

As a department of the European Commission, the JRC provides independent, evidence-based knowledge and science, supporting EU policies to positively impact society.

JRC’s research activities are organized using a "Portfolio" approach, which ensures that projects are defined and developed in a coordinated manner. As reliance on AI and data grows, Europe faces significant challenges, in particular in sectors such as healthcare, energy and transport. As stated in the national strategic choices for RDI policy and activities in Finland, the successful development and utilization of breakthrough technologies such as AI will strengthen Finland’s (and Europe’s) competitiveness, strategic autonomy, and its position as a global R&I actor.

The European Strategy for AI in Science, published in October 2025, establishes RAISE – a virtual institute that pools AI resources (compute, data, talent, funding) to accelerate scientific breakthroughs, from cancer therapies to climate and archaeology.

This webinar will summarize the JRC scientific contributions to this Strategy, that addresses the study of how AI shapes research activities, the implications of the AI Act for scientists in the EU, and the design of the Scientific AI Hub, a RAISE action to monitor and promote trustworthy AI across strategic scientific domains.

The session will feature an interactive Q&A and a concluding discussion, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with JRC officials.

Agenda:

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome
Jukka Tanskanen, Head of Science Policy and International Affairs, - Research Council of Finland
Emanuela Bellan, Head of Member States, Partnerships and International Relations Unit at the JRC

10:15- 10:35 Introduction to the JRC: its mission, its role, opportunities for collaboration
Emanuela Bellan, Head of Member States, Partnerships and International Relations Unit at the JRC

10:35- 11:05 The impact of AI in scientific research: a science for policy perspective
Emilia Gomez, Team leader, Algorithmic Transparency Unit at the JRC

11:05-11:20 Q&A

11:20-11:30 Conclusions
Luisa Marino, Desk officer for Finland, JRC
Annika Raitala, Research Council of Finland and JRC NCP