prg.ai newsletter #59

🔥 AI at the Center of Action

CIIRC CTU Establishes the ICHR Interdisciplinary Center for Humanoid Robotics

The facility bridges AI and robotics research with the safe deployment of humanoid robots in practice. Alza is also joining the initiative as a key partner, seeking testing capacity and making humanoid robots accessible to both the corporate and educational sectors.

A Digital Oscar Goes to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs

Virtual assistant Eva, known from the websites of the Czech Labor Office and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, has secured a prestigious gold award. She won the Digital Future Awards, often called the “Digital Oscar.” Eva was developed by the team at our member organization, DNAi. Congratulations!

Czech Footprint in Central Europe’s First Commercial AI Factory

Czech company M Computers provided the key infrastructure for the Polish data center Beyond.pl, resulting in the first commercial sovereign AI Factory in Central and Eastern Europe. For M Computers, this is one of their most significant AI projects in the CEE region to date, providing a high-performance, secure environment for next-generation AI development that complies with European regulations. The solution is built on NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD™ reference architecture, with computations running on NVIDIA B200 Blackwell GPUs.

The 11th Digital Czech Republic Conference

The eleventh annual international Digital Czech Republic conference has concluded. It drew over 25 speakers to Prague, led by Government AI Commissioner Lukáš Kačena, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Aleš Juchelka, and NÚKIB Director Lukáš Kintr. A full recording, covering the key role of AI in Czech competitiveness and more, is available on the conference website.

Lukáš Kačena: AI Has Babiš’s Strong Support

Deník N readers could find an extensive profile interview last month with Lukáš Kačena, the Government Commissioner for AI. Along with editor Jiří Labanec, they discussed many topics: integrating AI into public administration and healthcare, the planned AI Gigafactory application, and the growing need for public awareness. “The technology itself is not evil. However, if we want to use it sensibly and effectively while avoiding misuse, we must understand it at least a little,” Kačena says.

EP Committees Approve Delays and Red Tape Reduction for the AI Act

CEE AI Ambassador Jan Kavalírek celebrates another success. Along with colleagues, he spent recent months explaining to MEPs and other key stakeholders why administrative burdens in the AI Act must be reduced. The result is a series of simplifications and a delay in implementation by 16 and 12 months, respectively, now with a fixed deadline to ensure legal certainty. You can learn more about the negotiation marathon in Brussels in an interview for AI in a Nutshell.

🏡 What’s New at prg.ai

Czechia Has a Global Winner in DIGIEDUHACK 2025

Team AOS took the podium as their EduVhled Engine project was named one of the global winners in this year’s DigiEduHack competition. We are especially pleased because we played a small part in this success. At last year’s Days of AI festival, we connected the 42 Prague IT school with the Eduzměna Foundation. This collaboration led to the local hackathon assignment that produced the winning project.

Apply Your Startup to the LLM-BRIDGE Incubation Program

The LLM-BRIDGE consortium, which includes prg.ai, is looking for thirty early-stage European startups developing solutions using Generative AI (GenAI), Large Language Models (LLM), Natural Language Processing (NLP), or related technologies. They can join the unique VIP 2026 incubation program, designed to push their business forward. The top five startups will receive a total of 125,000 euros for further development. Applications are open until June 1st.

How to Communicate AI Regulations? CTU Round Table Seeks Answers

In March, prg.ai Director Lenka Kučerová participated in a Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU) round table on raising awareness about AI regulation. The outcome will be concrete steps and measures to support education in AI for three target groups: the private sector, public administration, and children/seniors. The CTU is expected to take over AI supervision in the Czech Republic starting mid-year.

Pavel Kordík: Advanced AI Was Born This February

Pavel Kordík, a founding member of prg.ai, spoke in an interview with Respekt about major breakthroughs in AI development and its distorted media image:

“I regret that the media doesn’t address more often that people will miss the boat if they don’t start using this technology. The main topic of debate should be how to ensure we succeed as a society in global competition.”

AI in Public Administration to Be Discussed in Hluboká nad Vltavou

The third annual AI in Public Administration conference will take place April 23–24, featuring an even richer program than last year. Participants will learn about the CTU’s upcoming role in AI regulation and the new South Bohemian Cyber Security Center. Part of the program will also cover crisis communication in public administration. The conference is supported by prg.ai.

NVIDIA GTC Highlights at Hybernská Campus

We previously teased a showcase of the most important takeaways from this year’s NVIDIA GTC in San Jose. Today, we can offer a complete recording of the event, which attracted over 60 professionals from across the Czech Republic. The event, produced by M Computers, HPE, and prg.ai, was opened by our own Filip Hartmann with an overview of AI ecosystem development in Czechia. Kamila Jeřábková and Petr Plodík from M Computers presented the most interesting technological innovations and trends, while Robert Mitka from Czech Radiokomunikace shared a cloud provider’s perspective, and Luboš Kolář from HPE focused on the future of data centers.

WebExpo 2026 Is Just Around the Corner

One of Europe’s leading tech conferences, bringing together experts in web development, UX, UI, digital marketing, and business, is almost here. This year’s program offers a mix of 70 expert lectures and practical workshops, with prg.ai as a partner. Before it kicks off, you can take a short quiz to find your recommended speaker.

Czech-German Round Table Focuses on AI in Government

A round table hosted by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany focused on shared challenges for both Czechia and Germany. The digitalization of public administration and the smart use of AI have the potential to save both national budgets significant funds. Our Filip Hartmann represented the Czech AI project at this cross-border exchange of experiences.

High Schoolers Spend Weekend on AI and Fake News

The Díky, že můžem Academy weekend program focused on technology, AI, and innovation. High school students explored the pitfalls of AI, fake news, DigiDetox, and personal development in the digital age. Speakers included our program director Pavlína Slavíčková and Marek Miltner, a PhD student at FEE CTU and prg.ai Minor alumnus.

Building an AI Ambassador Network in Public Administration

Our training sessions rarely end with the final date. On the contrary, they are often just the beginning of further cooperation. This was demonstrated by the March meeting of AI in Public Administration alumni, where we laid the groundwork for a network of AI Ambassadors—colleagues eager to actively support and promote AI deployment in their workplaces. Plans are already underway for an interdepartmental working group to share AI progress across ministries and key agencies.

From Lab to Farm: prg.ai Minor Explores AI in the Real World

Our latest prg.ai Minor Industry Talk featured Pavel Sůva from Datamole, who shared refreshingly honest insights on deploying AI in unpredictable environments like agriculture and high-tech factories. The discussion highlighted why choosing the right project and understanding the practical environment is often more critical than the math itself.

👏 Local AI Scene Successes

AI Tracks Intracellular Transport

A team from the Institute of Information Theory and Automation of the CAS (ÚTIA), in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, developed a new AI pipeline called Shape2Fate for detecting, tracking, and classifying membrane transport structures in SR microscopy data. Simply put, AI now scans microscopic data to tell scientists what is moving within a cell and how. The result is a robust open-source tool with available code, data, and Colab notebooks.

How the Brain Adapts to a Missing Limb

An international research team published a study in the prestigious journal Nature Communications showing that the brains of children born without an upper limb undergo significant reorganization at an early age. The brain region that would normally represent the missing limb does not remain inactive; instead, it begins responding to signals from other body parts. The mechanism was explained using a computational model developed at FEL CTU.

Companies Lack Courage, Says Přemysl Šůcha

The new head of Industrial Informatics at CIIRC CTU and lead researcher for the nascent National Center for AI (NCUI) warns that the biggest obstacle to AI deployment in Czech industry isn’t technology, but corporate courage. If you have a moment, read more about why digitalization still lags and what that means for the future of innovation in Czechia.

Space Data as a Business

An interview with Ing. Michal Reinštein, Ph.D., Chief Scientist at the startup SpaceKnow, details his fascinating journey from studying air traffic control to analyzing satellite data. Learn how academic research bridges with tech startups and how key industrial and logistics data can be extracted from Earth imagery.

Reading Brain Scans Before Disease Strikes

MRI can now visualize brain structure and function in extraordinary detail. But how can we recognize the subtle changes from thousands of data points that precede Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative diseases? Milan Němý from CIIRC CTU combines advanced imaging with AI tools to uncover patterns in the data invisible to the human eye.

Study Proposes Measuring the Intelligence of Nature-Inspired Robots

Authors from scientific institutions in Czechia, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, the UK, USA, Pakistan, and Singapore introduced a new framework for evaluating robotic systems that integrate neuromorphic computing with a robot’s physical body and environment. The lead author is Dr. Giulia D’Angelo, with Assoc. Prof. Matěj Hoffmann as co-author, both from the Department of Cybernetics at CTU FEE.

Open Day for Companies at CIIRC

CIIRC CTU invites you to Tech Dating 2026, an open day for businesses showcasing the journey from digital challenge to functional solution. The event will take place Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at CIIRC CTU. Participants can expect a guide to innovation support programs, interactive consultations, and guided laboratory tours. The event is free, but registration is required.

A Thesis That Cannot Be Ignored

99.7%. That is the accuracy Vít Babka achieved in recognizing various touchless hand gestures using neural networks for his bachelor’s thesis. “While searching for the best classifier, I tested several neural network architectures. Most of the code was written in Python, which is the clear choice for machine learning today. I used PyTorch for training, and my work also included a desktop application for collecting training data from the sensor,” the young researcher explains.

Václav Rozhoň: On Algorithms and the Neuron Award

“Algorithms are essentially all of us, and our brain works like a computer,” explains theoretical computer scientist Václav Rozhoň from MFF UK. In an interview for Forum, he presents algorithms as something that extends far beyond social media or digital tech. He speaks openly about shifting scientific priorities in the age of AI and reflects on his own research, which earned him the Neuron Award.

Learn Advanced Modeling at the RAASCEMAN Webinar

This webinar is intended for researchers, digital modeling specialists, and Industry 4.0 teams. Experts from the RAASCEMAN project will present the latest findings in resource and capability modeling. On Wednesday, April 22, attendees can look forward to the Product Digital Twin methodology and approaches to risk analysis.

Knights in the Digital Era

In late January, Prague became the global center for multimedia modeling. The 32nd annual MMM (International Conference on Multimedia Modeling), co-organized by MFF UK, was more than just a showcase of scientific papers. Participants from around the world enjoyed an immersive experience: scientific networking set against a High Medieval backdrop.

Math Doesn’t Have to Stay on the Blackboard, Teachers’ Workshop Shows

How to spice up high school math? FIT CTU invites teachers to a workshop to learn new methods using virtual worlds—even without VR headsets. The free event takes place on April 25, 2026, at FIT CTU, and applications are open.

Team VIBECODE from FIT CTU Scores at Mobility Hackathon

FIT CTU students Tadeáš Tichý, Teodor Fišer, Lukáš Walter, Viet Cuong Nguyen, and Jakub Skopal (FI MUNI) took second place in this year’s Mobility Hackathon. The theme was “Digital Breakdown,” a scenario where the city goes digitally dark. Teams had to design solutions for transportation, crisis management, and public information when standard infrastructure fails.

Werner von Siemens Awards Go to CIIRC and FEL CTU Alumni

Ing. Jakub Rozlivek, Ph.D., won in the best dissertation category for Industry 4.0, while Ing. Elizaveta Isianova received the award for the best master’s thesis. Both works were developed at FEL and CIIRC CTU, focusing on safer and more intelligent human-robot collaboration.

From a Bachelor’s Thesis to a Global Conference

Bc. Erol Medenčević, a graduate student at FEL CTU, succeeded with his practical work on visualizing AI agent behavior at the AAAI international conference in Singapore. He plans to make his PANSim program more interactive and accessible to those outside the field.

Personalized Books as the Future of Education

Pavel Kordík introduced his pilot p-book project—personalized books that allow for varied interaction, including minigames. Learn how to create your own book in this format or view a demo on recommendation algorithms. For “Kordík fans,” a recording of his presentation on the future of AI is now available on the FIT CTU YouTube channel.

How Much Will Electricity Cost? Michal Rolinek Teaches You to Predict It

Forecasting electricity prices is a high-level challenge. Czech mathematician and ML researcher Michal Rolinek will demonstrate how prices are determined. During his lecture at Matfyz, he will test attendees with riddles that reflect real-world energy market problems.

CRA Announces New Generation Cloud

Czech Radiokomunikace has transformed its cloud environment into a modern generation built on open-source technologies and its own orchestration tool. They are also inviting interested parties to AI Confidential workshops in Brno and Prague to test running open-source AI models locally and securely.

Case Study: Slovenian Bankers with Artificial Intelligence

Slovenian bank NLB is now running on agentic AI from AdAstra. A recently published case study details the implementation in a high-security banking environment, resulting in a scalable model for secure AI deployment.

O2 Revives Legendary Eurotel Ad

The iconic “More of Life” spot returns after 28 years with AI-reconstructed footage and simulated FPV drones. The original was reconstructed frame-by-frame using AI to visually match the original while providing a modern feel. The revived spot will be further refined based on viewer feedback.

Prompt Quality Is Key, Says Matouš Havlena of Apoco

“The most advanced AI tools today don’t write company strategies or negotiate contracts. They write code. And the reason is surprisingly simple. Programming has something most other fields lack: clear structure, tools, and immediate feedback.” This opens a piece by Matouš Havlena for the Respekt Special—essential reading for those interested in agentic AI.

MAMA AI Launches Law-Savvy Chatbots and Academy

The popular “Zákony pro lidi” website now features a set of chatbots developed by AION CS and MAMA AI to help users navigate Czech laws. You can also peek under the hood of AI development at the MAMA AI Academy workshop on May 12, 2026, in Prague.

Webinar: How Not to Stop at the Vision

Many AI initiatives stall after the pilot phase. How to avoid this? Our partner Profinit offers answers in a webinar on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, covering AI readiness from strategy to scalable microservices.

HPE Round Table Teaches Through Use Cases

AI sovereignty and data as fuel are themes for the upcoming HPE meeting. The round table in Brno on April 22 will focus on case studies and barriers companies face in hybrid IT and data management.

How to Stand Out in AI Search?

Newton Media invites you to a free webinar on GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Lucie Geislerová and Vladimír Novák will guide you through visibility in AI models. Register here.

Join the Databricks Meeting in Prague

Professionals will gather to share practical experiences and best practices for working with Databricks on Tuesday, April 21. Expect lectures, demos, and great food.

🎭 Events We Are Looking Forward To

• April 17–19 – (workshop) IDEATHON Prague
• April 21 – (conference) CzechCrunch: FUTURE
• April 21 – (meetup) Databricks User Group Meetup
• April 21 – (meetup) Hack Your Morning
• April 22 – (workshop) AI Confidential by CRA (Brno)
• April 22 – (round table) HPE Round Table I Brno
• April 22 – (webinar) GEO: Visibility in AI Search
• April 22 – (webinar) RAASCEMAN webinar
• April 23–24 – (conference) AI in Public Administration
• May 4–6 – (conference) ML Prague 2026
• May 12 – (workshop) MAMA AI Academy
• May 27–29 – (conference) WebExpo Conference
• June 3 – (open day) Tech Dating 2026 at CIIRC CTU

🧩 Interesting News and Resources

Saved Hundreds of Thousands with Vibecoding

Seven websites in fourteen days without a developer or a single line of code. Denisa Hrubešová’s experiment with AI showed that the biggest change isn’t in programming, but in how people think about work. Read about her “vibecoding sessions” on CzechCrunch.

AI as a Student Partner and Cheat-Sheet Replacement

Most Czech teachers have undergone digital and AI training, with Czechia exceeding the European average. However, teachers are overwhelmed and unsure how to integrate AI, says Eva Nečasová from AI dětem. Read more on Wired.cz.

Slovakia Partners with Mistral AI

Mistral AI announced a strategic partnership with the Slovak Ministry of Investments to focus on AI research and public sector pilots.

💼 Open Job Positions

Barclays

• Quant AI/ML model developer

FIT CTU

• Assistant Professor/Professor – Department of Theoretical Informatics

Dataclair O2

• AI Engineer for AI Centre
• Senior AI Engineer

DataSentics

• Enterprise AI Solution Owner
• Machine Learning Engineer

Google

• Customer Engineer, Data Analytics, AI

MSD

• Senior AI Developer
• Senior AI Engineer
• Senior AI Research Scientist
• AI Engineer
• AI Developer
• AI Research Scientist

Phrase

• Senior AI Engineer

PwC

• Data Governance Consultant in AI & Data team

Qminers

• ML Researcher

Rossum

• Senior AI Research Engineer
• ML Research Internship

T-Mobile

• Data & MLOps Engineer do Advanced Analytics & AI Squadu
• Data Scientist do Advanced Analytics & AI Squadu