Baltic Photonics in Ireland: AI in Science and Opportunities for XR Collaboration

Baltic Photonics representatives Leo Artis Ķīberis and Ilona Vanaga attended the AI in Science Summit 2026 (AIS26) in Dublin and the FUTURA Innovation Conference in Limerick. The company presented its project to develop GaAs substrates and discussed collaboration opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), photonics and XR technologies. The visit to Ireland took place from 14 to 21 October 2026.

Held at University College Dublin (UCD), AIS26 formed part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The summit brought together researchers, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss the role of AI in scientific discovery and research. Discussions emphasised human responsibility for assessing and verifying AI outputs, alongside the value of these technologies in supporting researchers’ work. The programme also covered the development of the European RAISE initiative, European Research Council (ERC) funding opportunities and the responsible use of AI in preparing research proposals.

Baltic Photonics took part in a RAISE workshop focused on prot
ecting research data and intellectual property when working with major AI service providers.

The FUTURA Innovation Conference in Limerick provided an opportunity to continue discussions with companies, researchers and start-ups on immersive technologies, extended reality (XR) and other high-tech fields. During a panel discussion, Ilona Vanaga presented the company’s project to develop specialised 22 mm gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates for photocathodes used in image intensifiers and night vision equipment. The project aims to supply image intensifier manufacturers with components made in Latvia.

The company’s representatives also attended a technology demonstration by partner Nuwa XRI.

During the visit, Baltic Photonics began discussions with potential partners about possible participation in Horizon Europe projects focused on advanced photonics manufacturing and human-AI collaboration in manufacturing facilities.