“It’s amazing how many AI and data scientists we have in such a small country as Denmark!”
So remarked Ioannis Caragiannis, Professor at Aarhus University and originally from Greece, when he attended the D3A Conference 2026 on 8-9 October at Hotel Nyborg Strand, where 500 participants from across Denmark and beyond gathered to exchange knowledge, gain fresh insights, expand their networks, and explore the latest developments in AI, digitalisation, and data science.
Another participant later captured the spirit of the event perfectly in a LinkedIn post:
“We come from different countries, cultures, disciplines, and walks of life. We bring our own experiences, curiosities, frustrations, and sometimes deeply personal motivations into the work we do. And then we all end up in the same room, talking about data. Which, when you think about it, is rather wonderful!”
This year marked the fourth edition of the D3A Conference, organised by DIREC, the Pioneer Centre for AI, and DDSA. Each year, D3A brings together researchers, students, and professionals within AI, computer science, and data science to share cutting-edge research, exchange ideas, and build valuable connections across disciplines and sectors.
It was therefore little wonder that the main conference hall was buzzing with anticipation on the opening morning when, among others, DDSA Managing Director Marie Helene Andersson welcomed participants by emphasising that AI, digitalisation, and data science must ultimately serve society, not themselves:
“Our work must be relevant to the society we live in. People and their needs must remain at the centre, not tech giants or power structures. Applying AI is not the goal in itself. The goal is to create science. More precisely, data-driven science. It is about developing knowledge, solutions, and products that improve the way we work and help shape the prosperous future we want to live in.”
Her message resonated throughout the two-day programme, which featured numerous sessions exploring how research and innovation can deliver tangible benefits for people and society, including several focused on human-centred AI.
A Programme That Forced Participants to Make Difficult Choices
In total, it was a packed programme so rich and varied that attendees had to choose between parallel sessions. Alongside the keynote lecture, Evaluating Explainable AI: Are We Asking the Wrong Questions?, delivered by Nava Tintarev, Professor of Explainable AI at Maastricht University, participants could choose from no fewer than 30 special sessions covering topics such as:
- Advancing AI in Women’s Health: Building the Next Generation of Research Collaboration
- The Future of Data Science: The Role It Can Play in Denmark and Beyond
- Robotics: Opportunities and Perils in the Age of AI
- Security, Safety and Privacy in AI: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Trustworthy AI
- Applied Data Ethics 2026
- Data Science for Human-Centred Mobility – Green Urban Planning
And the programme did not stop there.
During the traditional poster session, researchers presented no fewer than 74 posters, generating lively discussions and attracting strong interest from conference participants at the event.
Recommendations to the Danish Government
In fact, D3A was more than a two-day conference.
On the day before the official opening of D3A Conference 2026, the organisers – DIREC, Pioneer Centre for AI and DDSA – arranged two additional events:
- Executive Digital Summit, where 40 invited thought leaders and decision makers discussed recommendations for the Danish Government in light of the new Government Platform.
- PhD and Postdoc Community Day, centred on the theme Networking on Social Media in the Age of Online Controversy.
The organisations behind D3A have already announced that the conference will return on 14-15 October 2027. Mark the dates in your calendar!
And judging by the enthusiastic responses afterwards, there was never much doubt.
As one participant summed it up on LinkedIn:
“Shout-out to the organisers and speakers for a great experience! Can’t wait to return again next year!”
With feedback like that, it is easy to see why D3A continues to grow as Denmark’s leading meeting place for the AI, digitalisation, and data science community.
