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prg.ai newsletter #58

The Czech AI scene is experiencing a powerful period, full of major strategic changes that will shape the future of research and public administration. Read all about the establishment of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence, the government's Country for the Future 2.0 strategy, and the international successes of our academic institutions.

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🔥 AI in the Spotlight

Czechia to Establish National Center for Artificial Intelligence

In the thirteenth public competition of the SIGMA program announced by TA CR, only four projects out of nineteen succeeded. Notably, three of them bear the mark of CTU. Among them is the National Center for Artificial Intelligence project, in which prg.ai is a partner. “The National Center for Artificial Intelligence connects six academic institutions, more than thirty industrial partners, and government agencies,” says Assoc. Prof. Přemysl Šůcha, Head of the Industrial Informatics Department at CIIRC, who prepared the project alongside Assoc. Prof. Tomáš Kroupa from the Department of Computers at FEE CTU.

Industrial Chairs Coming Soon to Czechia

The Technological Agency of the Czech Republic is preparing to launch the Industrial Chairs format. Recognized experts will be invited to the Czech Republic to fill strategic roles in Czech research organizations. The authors expect this to catalyze a change in mindset, as a top leader always builds a close team of local emerging scientists who can acquire and pass on global know-how. The prg.ai team also participated in the preparations, collecting suggestions and comments from scientists for the final version of the proposal. The project launch is planned for the third quarter of this year.

Up to EUR 60,000 for European Incubators

As part of the LLM-BRIDGE program, we recently announced a call for incubators (or innovation partners). If they implement a pre-prepared 12-week incubation program for European startups working with LLMs and GenAI, they can receive up to EUR 60,000 from the project budget. The program itself offers a great opportunity for startups to refine their business models and prepare for expansion. The application deadline is March 23.

Government Presents Country for the Future 2.0 Strategy

The new document includes an entire chapter dedicated to artificial intelligence. It promises citizens, for example, a functional digitized public administration, doubling the number of highly qualified AI specialists and data scientists, or establishing a mission-oriented AI program in healthcare. You can read the complete document on the ministry’s website.

CTU Has New Leadership

The new Rector of CTU, Michal Pěchouček, has completed the formation of his core team. They are tasked with helping him fulfill a vision to place CTU among the top hundred technical universities in the world. Eight experts will hold Vice-Rector positions, including Ladislav Krištoufek, who served as the guarantor of the prg.ai Minor program for FSV between 2019 and 2026. Vice-Rector for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer Jakub Nešetřil has also represented prg.ai members in the Rector’s Council for years.

Havlíček and Kačena Negotiate with EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen

Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček and Government AI Envoy Lukáš Kačena met with EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen. Two main topics were on the table: the upcoming AI Omnibus and the AI Gigafactory project. “Regarding the AI Gigafactory, we discussed the role of Central and Eastern Europe and our goal to ensure this strategic project is not limited only to traditional large players. If it is to be truly European infrastructure, we want to co-create it,” Kačena stated on his LinkedIn. At the end of the meeting, they invited the Commissioner to Prague to continue the talks.

Second Draft Code of Practice for AI-Generated Content Transparency

The European Commission has published the second draft of the Code of Practice, designed to help companies fulfill transparency obligations under the AI Act. This voluntary tool focuses on two key areas: detection and labeling of AI outputs by providers, and clear identification of deepfakes or manipulated texts in the public interest. Stakeholders can submit their comments until March 30, 2026. Within the Czech state administration, feedback is coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO), which will contact relevant partners directly regarding further steps.

🏡 What’s New at prg.ai

prg.ai Welcomes New Members

FIS VSE, FSV UK, and CIIRC CTU have joined the ranks of prg.ai. “Thanks to cooperation within prg.ai, we can be at the forefront of shaping the Czech AI ecosystem as an active part of it,” states KIZI for FIS VSE. According to Prof. Vladimír Mařík, joining was a natural choice for CIIRC CTU as a major Prague-based research institution. FSV UK Dean Tomáš Karásek adds that the faculty aims to deepen expertise and share experiences with the practical use of AI in teaching, research, and management. Together, these institutions strengthen the connection between academia and practice.

New prg.ai Partners

Our community is expanding with two significant partners. Heureka Group sees this engagement as an opportunity for closer collaboration and the development of Prague’s AI scene. Together with the ELI Beamlines laser center, we are connecting top-tier technology business with international research.

prg.ai Master Program Closing Applications

prg.ai Master is a three-year interdisciplinary study program. Its curriculum, developed in collaboration with leading AI experts, covers machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, AI ethics, and more. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 31. Many interested students took their last chance to learn more during the open day. As summarized by our Director Lenka Kučerová on LinkedIn, you won’t find better AI education in Czechia.

AI Borders Project Launched: A Guide for Parents and Children

prg.ai, together with the Ministry of the Interior, CZ.NIC, and the Safer Internet Center, has launched the “Hranice AI” (AI Borders) project. The goal is to support open dialogue in families about the safe and meaningful use of technology. The project offers practical recommendations for parents and a series of thematic comics created in collaboration with experts. The materials are designed to help families start a debate about AI in a non-violent and fun way. All materials, including the comics, are available for free download on the project website.

👏 Local AI Scene Successes

CTU Offers Researchers CZK 4 Million per Year and a Chance to Build Their Own Team

The CTU Starting Grant is intended for young researchers with strong international experience who want to build their own independent research group. The program offers up to three years of funding (CZK 4 million per year), a relocation package, and the prospect of a tenure-track position. Applications are open until March 30, 2026.

European LLM Under Czech Leadership

The European Union is creating a large language model project designed to be equally capable in German as in smaller languages like Estonian or Lithuanian. Its coordinator is the Czech scientist and computational linguist Jan Hajič from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University.

Czechia Has a Global DigiEduHack 2025 Winner!

Team AOS, with their project EduVhled Engine, dominated the global final of the European Commission’s initiative for digital education. The winning solution, which originated from last year’s hackathon at the 42 Prague coding school in cooperation with the Eduzměna Foundation, uses AI to analyze school data and interviews to better understand classroom climate. Team AOS’s success is a great example of how the Days of AI festival connects experts with practice and helps create globally competitive solutions with real social impact. Congratulations on this exceptional result!

Award for Prof. Barták from MFF UK

Professor Roman Barták has once again been named an AAAI Fellow, a title awarded annually by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) to those who have made a significant global impact in the field of AI. In an interview for Forum, he discusses his research and his early fascination with AI: “I became interested in it back in high school in the 1980s. The reason was that artificial intelligence encompasses everything, so you don’t have to limit yourself to just one specific direction.”

High-End Technology in Medieval Settings

Prague hosted the 32nd International Conference on Multimedia Modeling last week. While latest trends in multimedia analysis were discussed in the halls, you could encounter knights in full armor in the corridors, ready to defend your scientific paper. You can see how it looked in this Instagram post from the Matfyz account.

Ota Novotný: First Computer Scientist to Lead FIS VSE

Assoc. Prof. Ota Novotný, Ph.D., has taken over the leadership of FIS VSE, becoming the first computer scientist in history to lead the faculty. As one of his mandate goals, he mentions further strengthening the role of artificial intelligence in all spheres of the faculty. This applies not only to research but also to teaching: an AI study assistant called Study Buddy is being developed directly at the faculty on its own self-service platform.

When Does AI Hinder Learning and When Does It Help? FEE CTU Has the Answer

Artificial intelligence is changing the way we learn. However, research by the Department of Languages at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering CTU shows that the key to success is not the technology itself, but how it is used in teaching. Studies involving 200 students confirm that the best results are achieved when AI acts as a partner supporting the student’s critical thinking and autonomy, rather than a means to bypass the learning process.

Czech Footprint at India AI Impact Expo 2026

CIIRC CTU, together with partners, presented at the international India AI Impact Expo 2026 in New Delhi. They showcased the Czech AI ecosystem and our key research topics, particularly the activities of the CLARA and RICAIP centers of excellence. The program included a meeting with the Czech Ambassador to India, Eliška Žigová, and negotiations with potential partners from research, industry, and education.

New Master’s Program at FIS VSE Combines AI and Data Science

Starting September 2026, FIS VSE is opening a new academic master’s program, “Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.” The program, guaranteed by Prof. Tomáš Kliegr and prepared in collaboration with several departments, is divided into three specializations from the start: Human-centered and Secure AI, Software Development and AI Technologies, and Data Science and Machine Learning.

FEE CTU Doctoral Student in Forbes 30 Under 30

Forbes magazine published this year’s 30 Under 30 selection. A representative of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at CTU in Prague made the cut. He is 29-year-old doctoral student Marek Miltner from the Department of Economics, Management, and Humanities, and notably a prg.ai Minor graduate: “Now my task is to build commercial success with the startup PangeAI, which will help companies and public institutions evaluate intended investments anywhere in the world.”

SEFI International Conference Heads to Prague

A meeting of 600 experts in technical education will take place this year between September 7 and 10 at the Czech Technical University in Prague. The program will be entirely in English and will offer a wide range of papers, which can be submitted now. This year’s theme is “Engineering Education for Humanity in Challenging World.” The submission deadline is April 1, 2026.

FEE CTU Opens Doors for Prospective Doctoral Students

The Open Day is intended for all those interested in a scientific career in the university sphere, research institutions, and corporate R&D departments. FEE CTU in Prague has long ranked among the top ten research institutions in the Czech Republic. It consistently produces about one-third of CTU’s scientific output as measured by impactful publications and citations. The range of framework topics for dissertations is more than diverse.

FIT CTU Scores Double Hit

Two papers presenting results from researchers in the GGOAT research group and the Algorithm Laboratory were accepted into the main program of the AAAI 2026 (AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence), considered one of the most significant AI conferences. The publications stood out in a record competition of nearly 31,000 scientific papers.

CIIRC Representatives to Present AI’s Role in Brain Research

At the ongoing Brain Awareness Week 2026, two CIIRC representatives will speak: on Thursday, March 12, the institute’s scientific director Prof. Vladimír Mařík with the lecture “Brain Activity and Artificial Consciousness,” and a day earlier, Prof. Milan Němý will present his lecture: “Thanks to artificial intelligence, we can now identify subtle structural changes in MRI data that would otherwise remain hidden. This opens the way to earlier disease detection and potentially more effective treatment.”

The Future of Finance and AI at Barclays

Students visited the Prague headquarters of Barclays to learn how AI is transforming banking and engineering. Michal Ambler (Sympulse) demonstrated automation in real teams, while Maya Novak (Barclays) presented specific real-time automation projects where technology saves time for creative work. Lenka Kučerová from prg.ai highlighted the importance of connecting academia, business, and talent in the Prague AI ecosystem. We thank Barclays for the invitation and all students for the great discussion.

Last Vacancies at the Robotic 3D Printing Workshop

The specialized Robotic 3D Printing workshop reports only a handful of available spots. The event, which focuses on the advanced use of industrial robots in additive metal manufacturing, will take place on March 25 at CIIRC CTU. It is intended primarily for technicians, developers, and experts from industry and research involved in the design and control of manufacturing processes.

CLARA Young Innovator Award 2026 Extends Deadline

Applications for the international CLARA Young Innovator Award 2026 are now open until March 22, 2026. The competition supports young talents in digital innovation contributing to improving the quality of life for the aging population. Selected projects will receive financial support, international visibility, and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. More on the competition website.

Applied AI Summer School Seeking Students

Know any high schoolers interested in programming and new technologies? Sign them up for the Applied AI Summer School at FIT CTU. Participants will learn how to build their own AI tools, work with AI models via APIs, design solution architectures, and build simple applications. The school is intended for technically gifted 2nd–3rd year high school students with basic programming knowledge.

New Episode of Ones and Zeros Heads to the Sky

Listen to the new episode of the Ones and Zeros podcast from FIT CTU. The topic is none other than weather. You’ll learn how it can be predicted with tens-of-meters accuracy and where such data can be used. It’s also beneficial for researchers aiming for a successful spin-off.

Artificial Intelligence: Smart, but sometimes Sexist

RICAIP invites you to a webinar on gender bias in AI, organized in collaboration with the German research center DFKI. The event takes place on March 17 from 13:00 to 14:00. It offers an overview of how bias arises in AI systems, its impacts, and how to design technologies to be “fair by design.”

Improve Your Skills in AI & Law, Sociology, or Robotics

The Institute of Formal and Applied Linguistics invites you to regular Thursday seminars focused on AI. On March 12, participants will learn about the legal aspects of AI in education. April will bring meetings on AI in robotics or sociology. The complete schedule is available on the ÚFAL website.

Students from Greece Visit Humanoid Robots

A group of seventeen talented high school students from Thessaloniki, Greece, spent a week in mid-February at MFF UK that could change their career path. As part of the Erasmus+ program, they got a look under the hood of top-tier robotics and AI, interacting with high-tech fields that are still a thing of the future in their home region.

CTU Scores in International Project Competition

CTU was the only Czech institution to succeed in the Marie Curie COFUND competition. Out of EUR 106 million allocated for selected projects, CTU will receive EUR 3.6 million. Under the PICTUS project, 23 PhD students will be supported. The university will work closely with 30 partners, including firms, state institutions, and top universities like Yale University.

Document Forgers Growing Stronger

Resistant AI analyzed over 170 million documents and summarized its findings in the Global Document Fraud Report 2026. The findings are concerning: one in fifty forged documents was classified as severe, a sevenfold increase compared to last year. The boundaries between amateur fraudsters and sophisticated gangs are reportedly blurring.

Dušan Šenkypl from Pale Fire Capital is EY Entrepreneur of the Year

The 26th title in the prestigious EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 Czech Republic competition was awarded to Dušan Šenkypl, co-owner of the Pale Fire Capital SE investment group. In an interview for Hospodářské noviny, he stated his current goal is to transition Groupon to an AI-first model.

DataSentics Under the Sign of the Bull

DataSentics, one of our longest-standing members, is entering a new chapter by joining the European technology brand Bull. This transition is especially meaningful for us at prg.ai; over the years, we’ve known DataSentics as a team that masterfully connects data and AI expertise with real-world impact. We are also proud to see students from our prg.ai Minor program find such great opportunities within their ranks. The full transition to the Bull identity will be completed by April 1st.

How to Implement AI in Your Company? Make Offers a Free Guide

Skip the AI experimentation phase and start using artificial intelligence effectively. That’s the goal of the new AI Playbook by Make. It evaluates your company’s situation for free and offers a personalized plan and practical frameworks promising three to five times higher ROI.

Stratox Roundtable for the Eighteenth Time

Attend a practical roundtable with Stratox CEO Patrik Horný and other guests. The topic will be AI and digital sovereignty. Learn how to design architecture so that AI becomes an integrated tool (“Embedded AI”), rather than an external black box that makes you a hostage to a single provider. March 19 in Prague.

Doing AI at ČEPS through the eyes of Přemysl Voráč

We strive for a balance between complexity and data security, explains Přemysl Voráč, who leads the EMS and AI department at ČEPS. The company started its AI journey in 2020 with the ARTIC pilot project. Since then, usage has grown—from implementing LLMs to machine learning models for predicting losses and system imbalances. The company also received the Seagate Best Enterprise Growth 2025 award.

Telma AI Heads to the Land of the Rising Sun

Slovakia, Croatia, UK, Spain, Netherlands… and now Japan. Our partner Telma AI is expanding into Asia. Together with its Asian partner, it successfully launched its first customer solution into production. As Jakub Krchák writes on LinkedIn, entering Japan is a challenging step for European startups due to high competition and market specifics.

Highlights from NVIDIA GTC 2026 Live

The best of NVIDIA GTC 2026 through the eyes of specialists from M Computers. This is what the organizers promise for the meeting on March 31, 2026, at Kampus Hybernská in Prague. Specialists who attended the San Jose conference in person will convey key moments and latest trends. A live broadcast of the main presentations will be available. Registration is free.

DataSentics Revealed a Pair of AI-Powered Tools

The ClaimSense tool serves to automate and speed up insurance claim processing. It combines real-time claim ingestion with analytical oversight and AI workflows. ConsultativeIQ will delight sales and customer teams, helping them prepare for meetings more effectively by analyzing CRM data and interaction history.

Ostrava Invites to AI Confidential Workshop

Want to use modern AI in your applications without sending data to foreign clouds or being locked into one vendor? Stop by the AI Confidential Workshop on April 8 in Ostrava. You’ll practically try running open-source AI models (LLM, Speech-to-Text, OCR) locally and securely in the AI Cloud of Czech Radiokomunikace, the workshop organizers.

CodeNOW Optimizes Development – Human and Agentic

Gone are the days when developers were the slowest link. AI agents can now write and deploy code very quickly. The problem is that governance processes are still set to a slow human pace. The answer could be CodeNOW, a central system monitoring code movement between development, testing, and deployment, regardless of whether it was written by a human or AI.

🎭 Events We Look Forward To

🧩 Interesting News and Resources

Czechia Prepares for Driverless Cars

The Ministry of Transport is preparing conditions for driverless cars to operate in the Czech Republic. While currently not fully possible, cars can use semi-autonomous mode on some highway sections. Necessary steps include updating digital maps, stable 5G coverage, and infrastructure adjustment.

AI Darwin Award Recognizes Tesla for Not Seeing Tracks

The newly established AI Darwin Award highlighted major AI “fails”. The jury was most intrigued by a Tesla incident where a car in self-driving mode turned onto railroad tracks. Musk’s AI assistant Grok also made the list for its controversial July outbursts.

Anthropic Introduces New Measure for Job Displacement Risk

The study „Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence“ by Anthropic introduces a new way to measure the risk of AI replacing human work. It combines the theoretical capabilities of LLMs with actual usage data. Results show that current AI usage is significantly lower than its potential. Professions with high exposure may grow slower by 2034, though systematic unemployment hasn’t been found yet.

Up to 48 Million for Top-Tier Science

Charles University and the CU Endowment Fund signed a memorandum with The Kellner Family Foundation to create a new program supporting international researchers arriving at Charles University. The family foundation will donate up to CZK 48 million to the program.

Present a Poster at ML Prague 2026 and Save

ML Prague 2026 organizers offer a 30% discount on tickets for those who submit a poster showcasing academic research or commercial ML applications by March 22. Authors gain the chance to present to a global audience of ML engineers and researchers. The prestigious conference, with Raiffeisenbank newly joining as a platinum partner, starts May 4 in Prague.

News from European Legislative Agenda

While no new digital proposals were published in February, work on existing ones continues. Significant progress is visible on the AI Omnibus, with a second compromise draft and a joint report from European Parliament committees EMCO and LIBE. Negotiations on the Digital Omnibus are proceeding at working group levels. To stay updated, follow the Tvoříme digitální Evropu account on LinkedIn.

💼 Open Positions

Apify

Barclays

Blindspot

Dataclair O2

Datamole

DataSentics

ententee

Gen

Institute of Computer Sciences (CAS)

JetBrains

Livesport

Make

MSD

PwC

Qminers

Rossum

T-Mobile

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