Most days, we focus on what comes next. Recently, KInIT came together again to reflect on its six years journey.This gathering gave everyone a chance to pause and see how far they have come. They also looked back on another year of lorAI and the progress made along the way.
When KInIT was founded in 2020, it brought together 24 professionals who believed that world-class, independent AI research could have a strong home in Slovakia. Today, more than 110 team members are part of the institute.
That change reflects six years of everyday work of people who have created what KInIT is today. This event was a special opportunity to step out of the daily rhythm and see the bigger picture.
As CEO Mária Bieliková put it:
“After six years, I can say with pride and confidence that KInIT is now a brand with an excellent reputation, great research and top talent.”
Six years in perspective
The team is not the only thing to have changed. KInIT has secured more than €33 million in funding through national and international research projects. KInIT would not be where it is today without the support of partners who believe in its mission and help to create a place for independent AI research in Slovakia.
Over the same period, KInIT researchers have published 131 scientific papers. Of these, 51% appeared at top-ranked international conferences or in leading journals. Each paper represents months or even years of work that often happens far from public view.
Building KInIT also means opening the door for people at the beginning of their careers. Through the civic association BrAIn, donations have helped create opportunities for students and early-career professionals at KInIT. Since 2024, 40 people have received this support.
Alongside the research, a wider community has formed around KInIT. Over the past year, they have taken their work to conferences and events in Slovakia and abroad. These meetings gave them space to share what they are working on and learn from others.
lorAI and the future of KInIT
One of the most important projects that KInIT was part of is lorAI. The Horizon Europe project is helping the institute to become a European Centre of Excellence in Low Resource AI.
Low Resource AI focuses on building reliable and efficient AI systems even when data, labels or computing power are limited. This matters especially for smaller countries and for languages such as Slovak, which are often overlooked by mainstream technologies.
Just as importantly, lorAI helps to create an environment where talent can develop and where research can have a stronger impact in practice. This year’s gathering reminded everyone that such a transformation does not happen in one big leap. It takes shape gradually as each year builds on the one before it.
Numbers make the progress easier to see, but they are only part of the story. Behind them are people who have made each step possible.
Today, the idea that brought them together in 2020 is no longer only a vision. With lorAI, KInIT is building on what has already been achieved and creating more space for excellent AI research to thrive in Slovakia and connect with the world.
