Hi, all! We’ve made it to the final week of January and I’ve been happy to notice how Stockholm mornings are once again getting visibly brighter. Here’s what I’ve got for you today:

#1 Somewhat to my surprise, I really enjoyed this podcast episode on How Is AI Shaping the Future of Work? Much of what David Autor says resonates with my views, of course, but I also felt like I was gaining a broader and more grounded perspective on things.

#2 Stockholm calling! The department for Robotics, Perception and Learning (RPL) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology is organising the third edition of the RPL Summer School for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers June 21-26, 2026. “The summer school hosts a mix of academic and industrial researchers from around the world and aims to provide a forum that promotes new collaborations. Our school focuses on a diverse range of topics within robotics, perception, and learning, encompassing areas such as Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Planning, and Decision Making.”

#3 Helsinki calling! This year’s Nordic pre-CHI event will take place at Aalto in Finland on March 18-19, 2026. “The Nordic Pre-CHI event provides an opportunity for researchers from the Nordics to present their accepted CHI 2026 papers and discuss them in a smaller circle. Additionally, it provides an excellent opportunity for younger researchers to get a taste of the quality of work presented at CHI and network with other peers, as well as senior researchers. Therefore, everyone from students to professors interested in HCI is welcome.“

#4 Mona’s Eyes (Les Yeux de Mona) by Thomas Schlesser is not the most masterful novel I’ve ever read, but it is an excellent way to journey across Western art history. Well worth a read!

-A