AI and Society: You, Data, and Sovereign Decision-Making

The AI conference that sold out last year is back. Seats are limited and will not be available for long.

AI & Society 2026 explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the boundaries of decision-making — from individuals and organizations to nations themselves. 
As AI systems evolve from tools to agents, questions of control, ownership, and cognitive independence become central. 

What happens to human agency when algorithms anticipate our next move? 
How do we preserve national and individual sovereignty in a world where data flows freely across borders? 
And what responsibilities do we share as citizens — and creators — in shaping the future of intelligent systems? 

This one-day conference brings together researchers, policymakers, business leaders, and the public to discuss AI’s influence on autonomy, cognition, and citizenship. 

This conference is developed in close collaboration between Reykjavík University, the Open University, CADIA, Reykjavík University’s research centre for artificial intelligence, data science, and intelligent systems, and EDIH Iceland, the European Digital Innovation Hub supporting organizations in digital and AI transformation.

Keynote: Nelli Blinova, Head of AI International Partnerships - Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine 

- Nelli Blinova is Head of AI International Partnerships at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, where she leads global collaboration on artificial intelligence strategy, governance, and public-sector AI adoption. As part of Ukraine’s AI Committee, she works on advancing the country’s AI development framework and strengthening international cooperation in AI and GovTech.

In her role, Nelli contributes to building partnerships that support Ukraine’s ambition to become a global AI leader, including efforts to modernize public services through innovative AI solutions and to make government technology more accessible and responsive to citizens’ needs.

Session 1: AI and Sovereignty

Theme: Borders, data, and control in a connected world. 

Description: 
This session examines the concept of sovereignty in the era of AI — from data governance and national autonomy to digital infrastructure and the ethics of outsourcing intelligence. As nations race to regulate and harness AI, questions arise: where are your data stored? Who owns your algorithms? What happens when AI decisions cross borders faster than laws can keep up? 

Session 2: Citizens and AI

Theme: Education, responsibility, and democratic participation in an AI-driven society.

Description:
This session focuses on the relationship between citizens and artificial intelligence. As AI systems increasingly influence public services, education, and decision-making, the need for AI literacy, transparency, and civic responsibility becomes critical. The session explores how citizens can meaningfully understand, question, and engage with AI, and what role public institutions play in ensuring that AI strengthens, rather than weakens.

Session 3: You and AI

Theme: Human cognition, identity, and responsibility in interaction with AI.

Description:
AI does not only change systems and institutions, it changes us. This session turns the focus to the individual, examining how AI affects human cognition, attention, learning, and self-perception. As we increasingly rely on intelligent tools, important questions emerge: how does AI shape the way we think and make decisions? And how do we preserve human agency, curiosity, and critical thinking in an AI-enabled world?

Closing Workshops

The workshops invite participants from diverse industries to reflect on how AI is shaping decision-making, responsibility, and human agency. The session brings together key themes from the conference and closes with shared reflection on our role in an AI-enabled future.

The conference is for all those interested in AI.

The conference on March 13 will start with expert-led lectures, followed by focused workshops guided by industry leaders who bring deep expertise in their fields. Moderator is Berglind Einarsdóttir 

Program:

08:30 - Coffee & croissants

We welcome you to the Open University at Reykjavik University 

Session 1: AI and Sovereignty

09:00 - Opening address

Ragnhildur Helgadóttir, Rector Reykjavik University

09:15 Keynote

Nelli Blinova, Head of AI International Partnerships - Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine 

10:00 – Q&A

Nelli Blinova, Head of AI International Partnerships and Halyna Matsera, Project Manager in International Cooperation Department

10:15 Break

10:30 - Presentation. Tools and agents: Understanding the spectrum of AI autonomy. What organizations need to maintain control and trust

Stefán Ólafsson, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Sience Reykjavik University

10:45 - Responsibility, and Democratic Participation

Gunnar Þór Pétursson, Dean, School of Law Reykjavik University

11:00 - Short moderated discussion / audience Q&A
Moderator: Stefán Ólafsson Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science Reykjavik University
Panelist: Nelli Bilnova, Guðmundur Karl, IT and security professional Defend Iceland, Arngrímur Guðmundsson, Assistant Chief Superintendent, Border Division,

11:20 - Lunch & Networking (40 min)

Session 2: Citizens and AI

12:00 - Women and AI: Power, Representation, and the Future of Decision-Making

Ingunn Sigurpálsdóttir, CEO Auðna 

12:15 – Copyright and AI 

Magnús Hrafn Magnússon, Supreme Court Attorney/Partner

12:30 - Invisible women: About data, data bias, data integrity, and the gap between the data that some AI solutions are trained on and what our colourful society looks like

 Anna Sigríður Islind, Professor Department of Computer ScienceReykjavik University

 12:45 – Break

13:00 - Ministerial Address - AI, Society, and Public Responsibility

 Logi Einarsson, Minister of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education

  Session 3: You and AI

 13:15 - What Happens to the Brain When We Use AI?

 Elín Carstensdóttir, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science Reykjavik University

 13:30 - AI as a Mirror of Self: Identity, Bias, and Human Reflection - Online

 Wanda Valeska Gregory

 13:45 – Break

14:00 - 15:00 Closing Workshop - From Tools to Partners – Reclaiming Agency in the Age of AI

Subject to change.

See more here

Light refreshments and lunch will be provided.

 Students can receive a discount; for the discount, please contact the project manager, Íris Bjarnadóttir.

Við minnum á að flest stéttarfélög niðurgreiða að hluta eða öllu leiti námskeiðis- eða ráðstefnugjöld. 

A more detailed schedule will be announced later, and the program is subject to change.

Íris Bjarnadóttir - verkefnastjóri

irisbja@ru.is