AI Policy Lab @Umeå University

What AI Policy Lab @Umeå University does

AI Policy Lab @Umeå University is an interdisciplinary research laboratory established in 2025 and hosted by the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University, Sweden, under the direction of Wallenberg Scholar Prof. Dr. Virginia Dignum. It conducts fundamental and applied research on AI governance, bringing together computer science, ethics, law, political science, and social sciences to bridge academic research with policymakers, practitioners, and broader society. Its core intellectual products are frameworks and analytical tools: the Question Zero (Q0) Self-Assessment Tool for Responsible AI, the Situated Approach to Algorithmic Allocation (a four-step framework for studying complex sociotechnical systems), Agent-Based Social Simulation models such as SimOD for Swedish organ donation policy, and an Information Flow Analysis Framework for tracing labour, power, and information in AI systems.

The lab distributes research outputs through three primary channels: the AIPEX publishing forum for AI policy analysis and policy briefs, peer-reviewed academic publications, and the Roadmap for AI Policy Research co-developed with MILA and endorsed by 92+ organizations across 20+ countries. Outreach is reinforced by workshops (e.g., the Responsible AI Self-Assessment Workshop with 100+ participants), the annual AI Policy Summit, book clubs, and fellowship/externship programs that build research capacity. Revenue is not commercial; funding derives from Umeå University institutional support, Wallenberg Scholar funding tied to the Director, and limited fellowship grants providing up to 320,000 SEK in salary support plus 30,000 SEK in research expenses per fellow. As part of a Swedish public authority, the lab operates under GDPR and Swedish public-access regulations and serves policymakers, academic researchers, and organizations adopting AI as its primary stakeholder groups.

Name

AI Policy Lab @Umeå University

Legal name

AI Policy Lab

Website

https://aipolicylab.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AI Policy Lab @Umeå University is an interdisciplinary research lab founded in 2025 under Director Virginia Dignum that develops frameworks, simulations, and policy tools for responsible AI governance, serving policymakers, academic researchers, and organizations adopting AI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Responsible AI Policy, Controls & Workflow Management (HDAAAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAMAA), Responsible AI, AI Governance & Compliance Services (BPAEAHAJ), Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001) (HDAAAMAE), Bias, Fairness & Non-Discrimination Testing (HDAAAMAC)

Keywords

• AI policy research
• Responsible AI governance
• AI ethics research
• Interdisciplinary AI research
• AI policy frameworks

Headquarters

HQ city

Umeå

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. University Research Funding: AI Policy Lab is hosted by Umeå University and led by Wallenberg Scholar Prof. Dr. Virginia Dignum. The lab receives institutional support from the university and likely grant funding from research councils.
2. Fellowship Program Funding: Fellowship grants providing salary support up to 320,000 SEK total per fellow for up to 6 months at 50% FTE, including travel and accommodation costs. Additional research-related expenses up to 30,000 SEK per fellowship.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AI Policy Lab conducts interdisciplinary academic research on AI governance, developing frameworks and tools that support responsible AI adoption and inform evidence-based AI policy. Its deliverables include the AIPEX publishing forum, the Question Zero Self-Assessment Tool, the Roadmap for AI Policy Research, agent-based social simulation models (e.g., SimOD), policy briefs, academic publications, and fellowship/externship research programs. The lab's outputs are research artifacts and frameworks rather than commercial products, distributed to academic, policy, and practitioner audiences.

Product overview

AI Policy Lab @Umeå University is an academic research organization, not a product company. Its offerings consist of research publications, policy frameworks, and knowledge-sharing platforms. The core offerings include: the AIPEX publishing forum for AI policy analysis; the Responsible AI Self-Assessment Tool (Question Zero) for organizational AI readiness evaluation; and the Roadmap for AI Policy Research developed in collaboration with MILA and international partners. These offerings are research outputs and frameworks rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AIPEX (AI Policy Exchange Forum)
• Responsible AI Self-Assessment Tool (Question Zero)
• Roadmap for AI Policy Research
• Fellowship Program
• Externship Program
• Responsible AI Self-Assessment Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed Question Zero self-assessment tool for responsible AI adoption, tested with 100+ participants from academia, industry, and public sector
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• AI Policy Summit NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025Global AI Policy Research Summit convened in Delft, November 14-15, 2025. Growing international network of research institutes and policymakers working to uncover mechanisms and pathways for responsible AI governance. Led by AI Policy Lab and MILA.
• Umeå UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution. AI Policy Lab is an interdisciplinary project hosted by the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University. The Responsible AI Research Group at Umeå University's Department of Computing Science collaborates closely with the lab.
• MILA (Quebec AI Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey collaborator in the Roadmap for AI Policy Research. MILA led the AI Policy Summit in collaboration with AI Policy Lab. Strategic partner for AI policy research initiatives.
• Civic AI LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on AI policy. Located at the Socially Intelligent Artificial Systems, Informatics Institute, University of Amsterdam. Collaborates on AI governance research.
• TAIGA (Center for Transdisciplinary AI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI Policy Lab connects with TAIGA which brings a distinctly multidisciplinary dimension, connecting computer science with social sciences, law, and policy. Located at Umeå University.
• AI, Media and Democracy LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research on AI governance and democracy. Located at the Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam. Fellow Laurens Naudts is a postdoctoral researcher at this lab.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Ada Lovelace Institute: UK-based research institute studying the societal implications of AI and data-driven technologies, producing evidence-based research and policy recommendations. Comparable in mission, self-assessment tooling, and policy dialogue methods.
• AI Now Institute: Research institute producing policy research on the social implications of AI, with a focus on accountability, fairness, and governance. Overlaps with AI Policy Lab on responsible AI frameworks, algorithmic allocation, and policy engagement.
• Stanford HAI (Human-Centered AI Institute): Stanford's interdisciplinary AI research and policy institute that combines computer science, law, ethics, and policy — directly mirroring AI Policy Lab's interdisciplinary structure while producing influential policy briefs, frameworks, and convenings.
• Partnership on AI: Multi-stakeholder organization convening industry, civil society, and academia to develop AI best practices, frameworks, and policy guidance. Comparable to AI Policy Lab's policy dialogue, framework development, and convening function.
• MILA (Quebec AI Institute): Major AI research institute that co-led the AI Policy Summit with AI Policy Lab and is a strategic collaborator on the Roadmap for AI Policy Research. Overlaps on responsible AI research and policy engagement.
• Future of Life Institute: International nonprofit focused on reducing existential and societal risks from advanced AI, producing policy briefs, frameworks, and engaging EU and UN policymakers. Highly comparable to AI Policy Lab's regulatory focus and EU AI Act engagement.
• Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI): Research organization focused on AI governance and policy strategy, producing research, advice, and recommendations to policymakers. Highly comparable to AI Policy Lab in mission, methods, and stakeholder base (policymakers, regulators, and AI labs).
• Civic AI Lab: University of Amsterdam lab conducting research on AI in sociotechnical systems and algorithmic allocation; co-authored the Situated Approach framework with AI Policy Lab. Strong methodological and thematic overlap.

Broad incumbents

• OECD AI Policy Observatory: Intergovernmental hub supporting the OECD AI Principles, producing evidence-based policy analysis, and convening policymakers across 40+ countries. Operates at broader scale but in the same AI policy evidence-and-governance space as AI Policy Lab.

Emerging players

• Centre for AI Safety: Research-focused organization studying AI risks and governance. Partial overlap with AI Policy Lab's responsible AI focus, though more narrowly oriented toward existential and catastrophic risk rather than the broader governance/sociotechnical agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ai-policy-lab-ume%C3%A5-university

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AI Policy Lab @Umeå University