Responsible usage of AI in marine governance

On 2 December, the University of Akureyri was awarded over 15 million NOK (190 million ISK) for a new research project funded under NordForsk’s Nordic–Baltic initiative on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. The project, led by Dr Romain Chuffart (Principal Investigator), Nansen Professor in Arctic Studies with Stefansson Arctic Institute, is one of only 17 selected for funding.

The project, Autonomous Technologies for Ocean Governance: Maritime Autonomy, Responsibility, and Environment (AUTO-MARE), will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028. It will investigate how AI-enabled and autonomous maritime systems are transforming ocean governance, particularly in relation to responsibility, safety, liability, and environmental protection. The research will assess how Nordic–Baltic governance approaches can respond to these technological developments while supporting transparency, accountability, and environmental justice.

AUTO-MARE will be carried out in collaboration with several leading institutions: Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland (Finland), Nord University (Norway), the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), the University of Stavanger (Norway), CLIMA – Centre for Climate Change Law and Governance at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark).

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