Strong interest in AI event at the FH Upper Austria Steyr Campus

Under the title “Trust in Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives from Different Application Fields,” numerous representatives from business, public administration, and higher education gathered at FH Upper Austria’s Steyr Campus on March 17, 2026. Organized by the Steyr campus for Business and Management in cooperation with the Embassy of Switzerland in Austria, the event offered in‑depth insights into current AI applications and placed the central questions of trust, transparency, and responsible use at the forefront.

After the official welcome remarks by University President Prof. Michael Rabl, Dean Prof. Andreas Auinger, and the Swiss Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Salome Meyer, the program opened up a broad spectrum of application areas. Experts from academia and industry showcased concrete projects demonstrating how AI already supports decision‑making, optimizes processes, and enables new business models.

In the medical field, Prof. Dr. Sarah C. Brüningk (University of Bern & Inselspital Bern) explored the use of AI‑supported systems in radiation oncology, highlighting the tension between technological innovation and clinical reality. In the media sector, Dr. Thomas Arnitz, founder and CEO of Ligaportal, demonstrated how voice‑based AI is already being used for real‑time automated sports reporting. Industrial decision‑making processes were the focus of the talk by Prof. Dr. Michael Affenzeller (FH Upper Austria), who presented agent‑based AI systems and autonomous analytics approaches. Another presentation by Dr. Jürgen Palkoska (BMD Business Software) examined the use of AI in business and law‑firm software.

A major highlight was the interdisciplinary panel discussion moderated by Prof. Dr. Dr. René Riedl. The panelists – Manuel Wolfsteiner (ki-fit.at), Paul Zeinhofer (smartpoint dataformers), FH‑Prof. Dr. Patrick Brandtner, and FH‑Prof. Dr. Gerhard Halmerbauer from the Steyr School of FH Upper Austria – agreed on a key point: technological performance alone is not enough to build trust in AI. What truly matters are transparency, clear objectives, human oversight, and strong organizational frameworks.

During the networking session that followed, participants used the opportunity for intensive exchange between research and practice. The strong turnout made one thing clear: trust in AI is a strategic, cross‑industry priority and will play a crucial role in shaping the future development of digital systems. 

(AI-generated translation)