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prg.ai newsletter #52

In the latest newsletter we continue with our nationwide mapping of the Czech AI scene, take a look at our recent mission to Taiwan and welcome new members and partners. We'll shed light on how AI is transforming the professions, and where our representatives have been actively involved in debates about the future of AI. Of course, there's also an overview of where we've met and where we're going. We hope you enjoy your reading!

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🔥 AI at the heart of the action

Czech AI companies, show yourselves to the world! 

Under the umbrella of the Czech National AI Platform (CNAIP), we are conducting an extensive mapping of the Czech AI scene, building on the successful local databases for Prague and Brno as one of the main drivers. The aim is to create the first comprehensive overview of AI providers across the entire Czech Republic, including regional companies. Over 200 companies have already joined, but we know the potential of Czech AI is far greater! The mapping will also include a market analysis focusing on the growth, trends, challenges, and ambitions of Czech AI companies. Participate and gain visibility in the official public database of Czech AI. By joining, you’ll help showcase the real strength and potential of the Czech AI scene and contribute to better navigation within the entire ecosystem. This survey is for companies developing and providing ML/AI-based solutions, including custom development, applications, tools, infrastructure, consulting, education, or governance and compliance services. Join via link.

Czech AI Scene in Taiwan

Our Lukáš Kačena and Filip Hartmann recently participated in an important AI mission to Taiwan, aimed at showcasing the Czech AI scene and fostering new collaborations. This trip was made possible by the invitation and organization of CzechInvest and the support of the Czech Economic and Cultural Office. During the mission, a series of key meetings took place, including those with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and numerous exciting startups, especially in healthtech. We also visited leading Taiwanese companies like Realtek and Asus and attended the Computex / Innovex trade fair. Meetings with academia were also crucial, including Academia Sinica and Taiwan AI Labs, where we discussed their LLMs and AI in healthcare. Overall, the mission significantly contributed to promoting Czech AI and opened doors for future international projects.

🏡 What’s new at prg․ai

May Expansion of Members and Partners

We are pleased to welcome Apoco, Diribet and SpaceKnow among our members and Raiffeisenbank among our partners, innovative companies that will enrich our community and strengthen the Czech AI ecosystem.

Apoco is a deep-tech engineering company that thrives on tackling the impossible. They specialize in complex challenges in AI, robotics, and advanced systems. For example, they’re currently developing a standard for interoperable AI agents and a platform for managing multi-agent systems for IBM Research. 

Diribet is a young Czech company with an equally young German subsidiary, built on three core pillars: Statistics/Data Science, Engineering/Domain Knowledge, and Informatics/ML, AI. Their motto, “The 21st century is the century of interdisciplinary collaboration,” perfectly encapsulates their approach.

Spaceknow is a satellite imagery data analytics provider that empowers decision-makers with ultra large-scale planetary analysis across various market verticals, including defense & intelligence, construction monitoring, and economic activity tracking. To achieve this, their SpaceKnow Guardian® platform combines state-of-the-art AI models with the world’s most comprehensive collection of earth observation imagery. 

Raiffeisenbank, a major player in the Czech banking market, as our new partner. Raiffeisenbank strategically employs machine learning to enhance client experiences, drive data-driven decisions, and refine their processes. For them, AI is a tangible means of boosting customer satisfaction and maintaining a competitive edge.

ApeSight Wins AI Award at Nakopni Prahu 2025!

At the Nakopni Prahu 2025 innovation marathon final, we presented the prg.ai award for the third time to the best AI project. This year, in collaboration with Deloitte and Amazon Web Services, who awarded the winning team $1,500 USD in cloud credits. The ApeSight team won for their Urban Data Repository project, which uses AI to analyze urban traffic data and integrates parking and infrastructure information into the Lítačka app. The project provides real-time parking data, container condition detection, and more efficient city management. We also congratulate the main winners of the marathon – NavigAR, Virtuální lampář, and Živé svody.

Where We Met

Our Director, Lukáš Kačena, participated in the Trends in Work 2025 summit at ČSOB Prague, where he discussed technology’s impact on the job market. Alongside one of our founders Michal Pěchouček (Center for Artificial Intelligence FEL CTU), Dita Formánková (Czechitas), and other experts, they explored how to prepare the Czech economy for future challenges. Key topics included lifelong learning and AI in HR. The summit offered inspiring debates for anyone interested in the future of skills.

You could also meet Lukáš at the Google’s AI Leaders Connect, where he led an inspiring fireside chat with Jan Kavalírek, the newly appointed Czech Government Commissioner for AI. The discussion revolved around Czechia’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, the role of the eGovernment competence center, and the country’s potential to become a European AI gigafactory. 

The Ministry of Industry and Trade recently hosted a conference titled ‘AI Act in Action: How to do it in public administration.’ The event aimed to share best practices and advance the adoption of AI within public administration. Lukáš Kačena from our team was a prominent participant, moderating one of the panels and speaking on the current state of AI in public administration from our organization’s perspective. He emphasized our significant contributions in this sector and highlighted various projects we are undertaking with public administration bodies. David Pešek from EDIH also attended, presenting specific successful AI use cases within public administration.

Our Filip Hartmann spoke at the DATA-BASED 2025: Data and AI in practice conference, sharing his insights on establishing Prague as a leading European AI hub. In his presentation, “AI in Czechia, Czechia in AI,” he highlighted crucial areas such as connecting the AI ecosystem, talent and education development, and the importance of systematic change and AI awareness. We extend our thanks to O2 Media for the excellent organization and inspiring environment!

Lukáš also participated in the Compliance Conference of the Czech Compliance Association (ČCA) 2025. He discussed the impacts of the AI Act and the need for timely regulatory preparation. With experts from KPMG and the Czech Compliance Association, they explored the actual state of AI utilization in Czech companies and the benefits and risks of implementing AI in business. We’re pleased to have been part of this crucial expert debate.

We’ve had another AI Tinkerers meeting, which brought an evening of demos, prototypes and hands-on experience with AI. The event included inspiring talks from Ben McCulloch, Richard Mladek, Daria Hvidalova, Peter Brzko and Peter Kubes. There were also hands-on demos and know-how sharing among AI enthusiasts.

👏 Local AI scene news that makes us proud

New Robotics Center for International Collaboration

The Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) and the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) have signed a memorandum to establish the Advanced Industrial Robotics Center. Located in the Liechtenstein Palace, this center will serve as a strategic gateway for collaboration between South Korea and the EU in robotics and artificial intelligence, boosting cutting-edge research.

OI Students Shine at AI Conference in Singapore

Illia Volkov and Nikita Kisel, students of Open Informatics program, presented at the prestigious International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) in Singapore. The paper focused on the shortcomings of the ImageNet database. Their work contributed to the discussion of key challenges in AI research on an international level.

Step into Virtual Reality

Interested in virtual reality and creating 3D worlds or avatars? We have a fantastic opportunity for 3rd and 4th-year high school students! Join our free two-day virtual reality course right here at FIT CTU in Prague on August 4-5. We’ll show you how to work with 3D objects, produce dynamic 3D scenes, and even travel through a virtual universe. Don’t miss your chance to explore the world of VR!

A Revolution in Predicting Human Chess Decisions

Jakub Zeman developed the innovative AI model ChessFormer as part of the Research Summer at FIT (VýLeT) 2024. This model, trained on billions of chess positions, can accurately predict human moves, flexibly imitate both human and algorithmic playing styles, and distinguish between them. ChessFormer, which outperformed the Maia chess project, is now a LiChess bot and offers broad applications. Jakub found VýLeT beneficial for gaining insight into academic research. Students can apply for the VýLeT 2025 program until May 8.

Supporting Innovators in the Danube Region

The Faculty of Information Technology CTU in Prague, as the lead partner in the CapTTict project, has launched the Danube Digital Accelerator (DDAccelerator) incubation program. Its goal is to discover and support promising innovators and their nascent projects. Nine teams from six participating countries made it to the first round of the accelerator, including two teams comprised of FIT CTU students.

Efficient Climate Data for Europe

The Faculty of Information Technology CTU in Prague is a key partner in the European FOCAL project, part of the Horizon Europe program. The aim is to streamline the use of climate data for urban planners, forest managers, and authorities. The project combines AI, HPC, and satellite Earth observation data for more accurate climate projections and simpler decision-making at all levels.

Revolution in Discovering Unknown Molecules

A team of Czech scientists from IOCB CAS and CIIRC CTU, including Tomáš Pluskal and Josef Šivic, developed DreaMS – a groundbreaking AI model published in Nature Biotechnology. It fundamentally accelerates the analysis of unknown molecules by learning to understand their mass spectra. DreaMS finds hidden similarities between molecules, crucial for drug development and understanding chemical diversity. Scientists are now teaching the model to predict entire molecular structures.

Introducing Adam

The Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics of CTU has introduced Adam, a new intelligent chatbot. Adam is designed to significantly speed up and streamline the control of subsidies and grants, which is crucial for the Audit Authority of the Ministry of Finance.

Tech Dating 2025

Join us for CIIRC Tech Dating 2025 – a full day of technology, collaboration, and innovation for industrial companies, managers, and experts. You’ll find over 20 technology stations (including labs), speed dating with researchers, an Open Innovation Breakfast, panel discussions, and networking. Get practical demonstrations of AI, automation, and Industry 4.0. The event takes place on June 16 at CIIRC CTU. Free registration is required in advance.

First European Honored with Prestigious Award in Florida

Roman Barták from the Department of Theoretical Computer Science and Mathematical Logic was recently awarded The Douglas D. Dankel II Award in Florida. He is the first European representative to receive this prestigious honor, which is presented annually by the Florida AI Research Society. This recognition highlights his significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence.

Erin Carson Awarded Charles University Memorial Medal

Scientist Erin Carson, who earned her PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, has received the Charles University Memorial Medal. Her research focuses on matrix computations, which are fundamental to various applications, including machine learning, data science, and computer science. This award highlights her significant contributions to these fields.

Young Female Scientists from Matfyz Debunk Myths in Informatics

Young female scientists from Matfyz’s Department of Computer Science are actively pushing the boundaries of human knowledge, connecting theory with practice, and discovering new connections. Their inspiring stories challenge the notion that computer science isn’t for girls. In the next installment of our series, you’ll meet Jana Straková, who will introduce you to the world of computational linguistics.

Accelerating Neural Network Development

Neural networks are central to today’s technology, with their effectiveness hinging on proper design and testing. Samuel Mintál, a Matfyz computer science graduate, focused his diploma thesis on smart shortcuts. These methods can quickly estimate network quality without extensive training, saving significant time and computational power. His novel approach promises to considerably speed up neural network development.

MCP Server for AI Agents

Apify has officially launched its remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, empowering AI agents with access to over 5,000 Actors from the Apify Store. This significantly broadens the capabilities of AI agents for diverse web data extraction use cases, ranging from e-commerce data collection to lead generation and market monitoring.

Teaching Children Coding

Teaching algorithmic thinking doesn’t always require screens or complex tools. Recently Kateřina Henclová, a data scientist at Datamole and a mom of two, created a simple programming game for her daughters. Using a robot figurine, a grid, and a set of arrow cards, children aged 3–6 can learn basic programming concepts in a playful, offline format.

AI and Expertise for Smarter Drug Development

A new study, co-authored by Jiří Vymětal from DataSentics, demonstrates how many-shot, in-context learning can enable smarter and faster molecular design. This innovative approach combines artificial intelligence (AI) with expert input in real time. The result is a reduction in laboratory experiments, more efficient workflows, and molecules better suited for real-world drug development.

Faster Toxicological Testing

DataSentics developed a scalable solution for the parallel analysis of Cell Painting images, significantly accelerating toxicological testing for a leading Danish pharmaceutical company. This case study demonstrates how deep learning and batch effect correction facilitated quicker compound screening and delivered more consistent results across experiments. This innovative solution enables pharmaceutical companies to more efficiently identify potentially toxic compounds and reduce the time required for new drug development.

Interoperability and AI Reshaping Healthcare

The ententee team’s key takeaway from DMEA Berlin is clear: the future of healthcare hinges on the synergy of interoperability and artificial intelligence. Connecting systems and ensuring a smooth flow of data are crucial for optimizing care. ententee regularly grapples with inconsistent data formats when integrating legacy systems. Overcoming these barriers is their priority, essential for true interoperability and unlocking AI’s full potential in healthcare.

AI in Industry, Not Just Chatbots

While discussions about AI in businesses often focus on chatbots, Stratox emphasizes that the true potential lies in transforming the core of operations. Only 8% of European manufacturing firms use AI in operations, despite Stratox claiming it can accelerate production by tens of percent. The key is “embedded AI,” integrated directly into systems for more efficient resource utilization and process optimization. Stratox believes this approach represents a breakthrough for Czech industry and developed the CodeNOW AI Factory for “purpose-driven AI” models.

Rossum’s AI Journey

This episode of the Data Talk podcast features Petr “Pasky” Baudiš, CTO of Rossum. He joins host Jirka Vicherek to discuss his early days, from his first 386 computer and falling in love with Linux, to studying at Matfyz. Pasky shares insights into the formative experiences that shaped his path in artificial intelligence development. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about his journey in AI and technology.

Public Trust in AI Remains Limited

According to a new KPMG study, while the use and awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) are growing across sectors, public trust in AI remains limited. People appreciate AI’s benefits, such as increased efficiency and personalized services, but they are concerned about data security, ethical risks, and algorithmic transparency. The report emphasizes that organizations must build trustworthy AI systems – meaning ethical, transparent, and secure ones. This requires leadership involvement, clear standards, and regulatory frameworks. Increasing digital literacy and open communication with the public are crucial for broader AI adoption.

AI for Multimedia Localization

Phrase introduces Phrase Studio revolutionizing video and audio localization. The Phrase Platform now lets you efficiently subtitle, dub, and transcribe content at scale using AI. It supports over 100 languages for subtitles and 17+ language pairs for AI voices. Everything is integrated, with no tool switching, making your multimedia globalization fast and easy.

Trustworthy AI 

Ondřej Dušek from Matfyz and winner of the AI Award in the AI Science and Research category focuses on developing a universal and data-efficient natural language generator that minimizes errors. He emphasizes the critical need to always verify AI outputs. Combining mathematical and linguistic expertise, Dušek explores how to merge the strengths of templates and neural networks for the most accurate results. His research stay in Edinburgh highlighted how even simple text generation systems produced numerous errors. His aim is to advance AI towards greater trustworthiness and reliability.

🎭 Events we’re excited about

 

You can find all the events we find interesting in our Google Calendar.

 

🧩 Stuff that interests us

AI Safety Over Rapid Deployment 

An interview with Stanislav Fort and his wife Kristina offers insights into the current AI industry. They discuss the differing approaches of OpenAI and Anthropic: OpenAI focuses on practical model deployment (e.g., ChatGPT), while Anthropic prioritizes AI safety and interpretability. Fort emphasizes the need for global coordination and warns against hasty regulation that could harm innovation. The interview also critiques the “hype” surrounding AI and calls for a responsible approach from researchers and companies, sharing personal experiences from working in top-tier AI teams.

What Endures in the AI Era? 

Klára Jelínková, the Czech head of information technology at Harvard University, offers an intriguing perspective on the AI discussion. “Perhaps we shouldn’t ask what changes with AI, but what remains,” she states. This idea prompts reflection on the core values and principles that stay relevant even amidst rapid technological shifts. Her viewpoint suggests that despite AI’s transformative potential, there are constants we should focus on.

📢 Community calls

AI RISE: Open Calls for SMEs and Startups in AI

The AI RISE (AI Redesign Initiative for Smart Europe) platform has launched open calls to support European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in adopting artificial intelligence (AI). Companies can apply for technical support, funding, and training. The program specifically targets AI applications in areas such as industrial manufacturing, robotics, and energy. AI RISE aims to facilitate AI adoption across the European economy. Details regarding deadlines and conditions are available on their website.

EuroHPC: Boosting AI Supercomputing and Factories 

The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (JU) has launched a call for hosting entities to acquire or upgrade EuroHPC supercomputers with AI capabilities and establish associated “AI Factories.” The call is open until the end of 2025. The aim is to either build an AI factory around a new supercomputer or upgrade an existing one. The EU has allocated up to EUR 800 million from the Digital Europe Programme for this, with an additional EUR 180 million from Horizon Europe for AI factory operations, capping at EUR 15 million per factory.

IC Taiwan Grand Challenge: An Opportunity for Innovators!

You can join the 3rd batch of the IC Taiwan Grand Challenge! Organized by Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), this strategic initiative drives innovation in the semiconductor industry, focusing on IC applications, system integration, and AI solutions. Winners will receive a grand prize of $30,000 USD, access to cutting-edge resources, and collaboration opportunities with industry giants like TSMC, MediaTek, and UMC. Winning teams will also showcase their projects at the Taiwan Innovation Expo 2025. Startups, research institutions, and individuals are welcome to apply. Registration is open until June 30th.

💼 Open job positions

Artificial Intelligence Center FEE CTU

Charles University

CIIRC 

Apify

Blindspot AI

Datamole

DataSentics

ententee

Make

MAMA AI

Qminers

Recombee

Rossum

Aricoma

Barclays

EY

Equilibre Technologies

ČEPS

Dataclair O2

JetBrains

MSD

PwC

 

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