AI Collaboration between the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and Switzerland

Should we trust AI in different areas of life? This question was explored by the Swiss Embassy in Austria during a high‑profile forum featuring experts from academia and industry. FH‑Prof. René Riedl, head of the joint master’s program Digital Business Management (DBM), focuses on the economic and societal impacts of Artificial Intelligence at the Steyr Campus of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria. He also recently published a book on the topic of ‘Trust in AI.’ Swiss Ambassador Salome Meyer is now actively connecting him with experts across Switzerland.

Trust in AI should neither be granted blindly nor rejected outright,” says René Riedl, expressing his belief in a balanced approach between uncritical enthusiasm and complete refusal. According to Riedl, we should trust AI when it demonstrably helps achieve individual, organizational, or societal goals. If it threatens these goals, skepticism is appropriate. “Trust must therefore always be rationally grounded and verifiable—even though people often rely on gut feeling,” the expert summarizes.

AI Is Not Just About Profit
For a long time, the focus in AI development was primarily on technical questions. Now, increasing attention is being paid to another key issue: How does AI affect people in business and society?

Throughout the year, René Riedl deepened his connections with Swiss networks in this field—leading to an official invitation from the Swiss Ambassador.

Sixty invited guests from business and research gathered at the embassy for an expert exchange. René Riedl presented his new book, followed by Liudmila Zavolokina from the University of Lausanne, who discussed AI and democratic processes. The evening was moderated by Alexandra Ciarnau from Women in AI Austria. Alongside high‑profile guests from industry and academia, several successful graduates of Riedl’s DBM master’s program also attended—“because it’s important to us to stay closely connected with our students even after graduation,” Riedl emphasized.

FH‑Prof. Michael Affenzeller, Chairman of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and AI expert rooted at the Hagenberg Faculty, represented the “IT‑technical perspective” on AI. “Trust in people and trust in technology overlap in many ways when it comes to AI,” Affenzeller explains. “On the one hand, AI models are typically trained on human‑generated data, and on the other, human users are being given powerful new tools that can be used both beneficially and—if misused—harmfully.”

Continuing the Collaboration with Switzerland
As part of this now well‑established cooperation with Switzerland, a delegation led by Ambassador Meyer will visit the Steyr Campus of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in March 2026. Until then, Upper Austria will continue strengthening its connections with scientific institutions such as ETH Zurich and the University of Bern, as well as with companies across Switzerland.

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