AI Awards 2026: Trustworthy AI
The theme of the AI Awards 2026 is Trustworthy AI. The use of artificial intelligence opens the door to key ethical questions such as the impact of AI systems on human life, their reliability, safety, and privacy protection.
The AI Awards: Trustworthy AI will recognize companies or individuals who have successfully developed or applied AI systems, or who are fostering cooperation with international partners in the field of AI for products and services on the Slovak market.
The third year of AI Awards announced its winner at Forbes Business Fest 2026.
This year’s winner and finalists
The third year of AI Awards announced its winner at Forbes Business Fest 2026. Four companies reached the finals:
- Evolveum: an AI assistant that speeds up the implementation of identity and access management systems, making it easier to integrate enterprise platforms and strengthening cybersecurity
- O2: a customer-facing AI chatbot that provides real-time support, automates routine requests, and helps keep continuous service availability
- Takeda: a digital assistant for internal HR processes, giving employees quick access to company information and increasing work efficiency
- DAITABLE: a multi-agent AI chatbot built for industrial energy analytics. It processes large volumes of data, flags energy losses, and helps companies find where they can save
The laureate 2026: DAITABLE
This year’s laureate is DAITABLE, a Slovak technology company working on energy management. Their approach is to keep the AI away from the raw data, instead of generating numbers directly, the system generates the analytical steps, which are then run separately. The result is more reliable output and better protection of sensitive data. The final call always stays with the user, who gets not just a recommendation but the underlying data and visualizations behind it. As the team put it, the future of AI will be built on trust, which is why they’re committed to transparency, to making outputs verifiable, and to being upfront about where the technology’s limits are.
Read more about our laureate’s work in an exclusive interview on Forbes.sk.
Who can get involved
Organisations
AI team
How to get involved? Conditions of application
Registration
- Registration can be done by any AI system operator.
- If an AI system is a modification of another AI system, then that system can only be logged in with the consent of the original system operator.
Time
- You can enter your AI system in the competition from 20.11. 2023 to 9.2.2024.
- The best AI systems will be invited to a second round of face-to-face interviews with the committee.
- The second round will take place from February to March, where a representative will present the AI system during one hour..
- Registráciu môže vykonať každý prevádzkovateľ systému AI.
- V prípade, ak systém AI je modifikáciou iného systému AI, potom je možné prihlásiť daný systém len so súhlasom pôvodného prevádzkovateľa systému.
- Váš systém AI môžete prihlásiť do súťaže od 20. 11. 2023 do 9. 2. 2024.
- Najlepšie systémy AI budú pozvané do druhého kola osobného pohovoru s komisiou.
The condition for inclusion in the nomination for the award is the correct and truthful completion of the data in the application form and consent to be included among the nominees.
The form consists of 10 questions focused on how your company deals with AI requirements.
Professional support
The evaluation of each submitted AI system will be based on the expertise of each member of the jury to decide which submitted project best meets the requirements for the trustworthy and responsible development and deployment of an AI system as described in the Ethical Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence and in the Assessment List for Trustworthy AI.
AI Awards 2025: Trustworthy AI
Evaluation criteria
Requirements of ethical and trustworthy AI
The principle encompasses fundamental rights, the human factor and human oversight.
AI Awards
The goal of the AI Awards is to draw attention to local manufacturers and providers of AI systems and digital innovations. The focus of the first two editions is on the importance of the principles of so-called trustworthy and human-centred artificial intelligence, as well as the connection between artificial intelligence and ethical principles.
The award is organized by Hopero, the European Center for Digital Innovations in Slovakia, and the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT), the first independent AI research institute in Slovakia. The media partnership for the project is provided by Forbes magazine, through which the awards are presented during the prestigious Forbes Business Fest. The award is also organized in collaboration with the Permanent Commission for Ethics and Regulations in AI (CERAI), established by the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informatization.
Last year’s laureate was AI:Dental, chosen from more than twenty applicants, for their AI system that aids in the interpretation of X-ray images in dentistry. The expert committee appreciated their efforts to meet several requirements for trustworthy AI, as well as the emphasis they place on various affected individuals and groups. A special award was also granted to the company TrollWall.
What the award winner will receive
- Public recognition of efforts to create and use responsible systems with artificial intelligence by a panel of experts.
- Making the AI system visibleI within the network of Slovak innovators, experts and innovative companies through the European Digital Innovation Hub - Hopero.
- Expert and independent consultation from the Hopero team of AI experts.
