New Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Åbo Akademi University: “We must understand both opportunities and risks”

20.3.2026 TEXT: Pamela Friström IMAGES: Pamela Friström New Professor of Artificial Intelligence at Åbo Akademi University: “We must understand both opportunities and risks” Artificial intelligence is reshaping both the workplace and everyday life at a pace few could have predicted. While the rapid development of AI is fuelling excitement, it is also raising concerns. According to Michael Cochez, it is essential to take the risks seriously while also recognising the possibilities technology offers. “The aim is to develop tools that augment human capability. That’s where I see the big opportunities.” Michael Cochez has recently been appointed Professor and PS Fellow in Machine Learning and AI Engineering at Åbo Akademi University Cochez is one of several internationally recognised AI researchers recruited to the newly established ELLIS Institute Finland through a global selection process conducted in autumn 2025. This is not Michael Cochez’s first experience of Finland. He originally came to the University of Jyväskylä as an Erasmus student and later remained to complete both his master’s degree and his doctorate. His academic journey subsequently took him to Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. He has now returned to Finland to continue his research in artificial intelligence at Åbo Akademi University. ELLIS Institute Finland is a new national research centre with an international profile, dedicated to research in artificial intelligence and machine learning. The institut...