TNO’s Vision for Responsible AI That Works
TNO envisions a time in which AI augments human wisdom, without compromising European values. We’re building Responsible AI That Works: systems that are both ethical and effective. Systems that deliver measurable societal impact and preserve human agency, while enhancing human capabilities. We aim to ensure that AI improves not only earning capacity in the Netherlands, but also quality of life.
Smart technology, wise implementation
As AI reshapes every sector, Europe faces a critical choice. Either we accept dependence on technologies built elsewhere, according to values that aren’t or own, or chart a course towards AI that truly serves our society.
TNO believes in the European advantage: the wisdom to move thoughtfully and build systems that help address the critical societal issues of our time. While Big Tech races to ‘move fast and break things’, we embrace innovation without recklessness and ambition grounded in purpose. And we know that European values – like privacy, security, independence, and sustainability – don’t constrain innovation. They enhance usability, trustworthiness, and adoptability of AI innovations.
Pillars of progress
It will take more than a strong vision to realise responsible AI that works. It will take consistent, incremental progress that must start today. Our work spans the entire process of AI innovation, starting from the very foundation. We help organisations develop clear data sharing frameworks, create interoperability standards, and develop trust mechanisms for collaborative AI development.
Through thoughtful technology creation, we engineer sovereign AI technologies that demonstrate European values in practice. We support and contribute to innovation acceleration by transferring capabilities to the institutions and industries that need them to develop responsible AI models. By aiming for sovereign and competitive European AI stacks, and a robust EU AI innovation climate, we secure our place in the competitive global AI innovation ecosystem, while preserving European values.
Leading the AI transformation
TNO is already working towards our AI vision. Together with partners SURF and the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), we developed the very first Dutch large language model, built through legitimate content partnerships, 100% compliant with regulations, and optimised for Dutch contexts. As the dedicated Expertise Centre for the AI Factory, we are again partnering with SURF to transfer our considerable capabilities to SMEs and other organisations to train their models responsibly. And, at the AI Oversight Lab, we assess AI systems for bias, transparency, and compliance, and provide scientific evaluations that prevent harmful implementations.
Ecosystems of innovation
Making Europe a leader in responsible AI is the logical outcome of choices we make today about how AI develops, who controls it, and which values guide it. To make a profound impact and ensure widespread adoption of responsible AI technologies, collaboration across sectors and borders is essential. We build ecosystems of partners that benefit from working together on solutions that drive progress across entire sectors, rather than benefitting individual organisations.
TNO fosters collaborations in which partners experiment, learn, and innovate together. By sharing risks and insights, we accelerate progress. We connect researchers with practitioners, technologists with ethicists, and start-ups with established institutions. We extend this collaborative approach to policy development, providing research and advice that helps ensure AI regulations remain fit-for-purpose as technology evolves.
Join the movement
Reducing climate change. Addressing labour shortages. Improving healthcare outcomes. Increasing prosperity and enhancing quality of life. AI could be the key to these, and other societal challenges. But only if we build it right.
The choice is ours. The time is now. The work begins with each and every organisation that aims for responsible growth through technological innovation. We welcome organisations that share our vision to get in touch, and learn how blending smart technology and wise implementation can benefit you.
Contact us
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Berry Vetjens
Functie:Director market unit ICT, Strategy & Policy (ISP)Director market unit ICT, Strategy & Policy (ISP), with a passion for major innovation challenges that can be accelerated with digitisation.
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Standplaats:Den Haag - New Babylon
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Email:Email Berry
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