AIRE to Host an International Business Lunch on May 22 at Latitude59: “Europe Needs a New Harmony in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”

AIRE (AI & Robotics Estonia), a leading advocate for industrial digitalization and AI implementation, is organizing the AI Business Lunch at this year’s Latitude59 conference. The event aims to bring together Europe’s key thinkers and decision-makers to discuss how to build a resilient Europe in the era of artificial intelligence.

The meeting, initiated by AIRE, will take place in collaboration with Estonian and international partners, including the Artificial Intelligence Center Hamburg (ARIC) and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS). According to AIRE’s leader, Kirke Maar, Estonia and Europe stand at a turning point where technology is no longer just a tool but a central force in geopolitics and economics. “When we look at shifting global power dynamics—be it smart drones on the battlefield or autonomous production lines in factories—it is clear that innovation cannot remain the privilege of Silicon Valley or Shenzhen. Europe must carve its own path,” Maar explained.

The AI Business Lunch will serve as a platform for policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors to discuss Europe’s role in the age of AI—not just as a technological leader but also as a value-driven one. “AIRE’s role is to build a bridge between Estonia’s industry and cutting-edge technology. We believe Europe’s strength lies in certain limitations—not as obstacles, but as well-thought-out value choices. GDPR and the AI Act are not just regulations but signals that Europe can innovate through ethics. However, to achieve this, we must act swiftly and collaboratively,” said Maar.

Alois Krtil, CEO of ARIC in Hamburg, emphasized the importance of cooperation: “When we talk about Europe’s resilience, we cannot focus solely on technology—we must also discuss a culture of collaboration. Digitalization and AI do not recognize national borders, so we need a shared innovation space where Tallinn, Hamburg, and other hubs speak the same language. Latitude59’s business lunch is the perfect setting for such connections to begin.”

Riina Leminsky, head of EIS’s foreign representative team, highlighted Estonia’s disproportionately large impact on Europe’s innovation landscape: “Our strength lies in flexibility and systematic approaches. The joint initiative of AIRE, ARIC, and EIS will create an excellent context at Latitude59, bringing together both local and international ecosystems to shape a future where AI development aligns with societal values and needs.”

Maar reinforced the urgency of action: “We cannot allow our best ideas to remain on paper while others successfully implement theirs. Europe needs a new type of collaboration—one that unites academia, industry, and government, just as we do at AIRE.”

The AI Business Lunch on May 22 will provide a platform for bold, value-based, and forward-looking cooperation. The event aims to define collective action strategies that will rapidly advance Europe’s global technological, economic, and geopolitical competitiveness.

AI experts from across Europe have confirmed their participation, including Mikael Ljungblom (Head of AI Sweden), Paul Arup (Amigen Tech), Werner Bogula (AI Lead at Hamburg ARIC, Pinktum), Agne Paulauskaite-Taraseviciene (Lithuanian AI Center), Daniel Crasemann (Investor), Linnar Viik (Visionary and AI advocate), Gert Jervan (Dean of IT Faculty, TalTech), Innar Liiv (AI and Big Data Professor, TalTech), Tõnu Esko (Vice-Rector for Development, University of Tartu), Markus Durstewitz (Airbus), and others.

The Business Lunch will take place on May 22 at 12:30 PM at the PoCo Art Museum, Rotermanni 2.

More information:  Anne Muldme (AI & Robotics Estonia), Tel: 5142224  www.aire-edih.eu www.latitude59.ee