We spoke with him about his reasons for returning to Austria.

You left the JKU a few years ago for the renowned Amsterdam Machine Learning Lab (AMLab). What drew you there?
Johannes Brandstetter: At the time, I explained to Prof. Hochreiter that I was determined to work abroad again and when he asked where, we both simultaneously said ‘Amsterdam’! The AMLab was - and is - a real hub for artificial intelligence, and a real hotbed of talent. Microsoft is now also in Amsterdam as well, thanks to the AMLab. It’s absolutely "the place to be" if you’re interested in artificial intelligence.

What does the AMLab have that the JKU doesn't?
Johannes Brandstetter: It's not just the AMLab. As an AI research ecosystem, the JKU can definitely rival it! It's not just the AMLab in Amsterdam: Amsterdam itself is an AI hub. The business community, the government, and research communities are extremely well-connected in the field of artificial intelligence and they very highly prioritize the subject area. As a result, the corresponding computing power is also available, which is a very important aspect for AI research.

Can we even compete with that?
Johannes Brandstetter: We certainly require massive amounts of investment and continual improvements; this is what we are fighting for.

You also spent time in Seattle working for Microsoft, and then also came back. What is it about the JKU?
Johannes Brandstetter: Several reasons. For one, Prof. Hochreiter is my mentor and I owe him a great deal. I enjoy the opportunity to work with him again. Second, I was never entirely gone. Before moving to Amsterdam, I had an offer to accept a tenure-track position at the JKU. Former Rector Lukas facilitated retaining this offer.

Above all, however, I worked for a US high-tech company for two years. I want the expertise and, above all, the design of AI, to not just be exclusive to America or Asia. I want to do my part to make sure that Europe also has a say in how AI will change our lives!

And it presumably will...
Johannes Brandstetter: We are on the brink of a revolution. We have only experienced AI in a few areas up to now, such as ChatGPT for texts, and this has already made a huge difference in this area. Now, however, a bigger revolution is coming to industry - logistics, transportation, and much more.

That sounds a bit daunting.
Johannes Brandstetter: No, there’s nothing to be afraid of but we do need to get ready. When winter is around the corner, you get your coat ready. This is why it's so important that we have a say in what happens and not accept what others tell us to do.

Can that happen at a university?
Johannes Brandstetter: I believe that there has been a paradigm shift. Until now, industry has been a driver of innovation and now it’s so focused on existing AI that universities are more likely to come up with new advances.

And you want to be involved in the process. At Microsoft, you worked on weather simulations. What are you working on at the JKU?
Johannes Brandstetter (laughs): We began these climate simulations without really knowing much about weather research. As a result, I learned to take a step back and focus on the basics as this allows you to design AIs that can be applied to many areas. Climate and industrial simulations are not as different as one might think.

This means you will be working more closely with industry in Linz instead of in Amsterdam. Is there a degree of culture shock involved?
Johannes Brandstetter: Yes and no. The Institute for Machine Learning is very international, but aside from that, people in the scientific field speak mainly German, which is a change. But I do enjoy the outdoors and the mountains. In Holland, there is no easy way to simply drive somewhere and enjoy unspoiled nature.

So, you have no regrets about returning?
Johannes Brandstetter (laughs): Not yet. Austria can be a bit of a contradiction; those less familiar with Austria tend to overestimate the country and those more familiar with Austria often tend to underestimate it. I'm confident we can accomplish a great deal here!
 

About Assist. Prof. Dr. Johannes Brandstetter
Originally from Schärding, Assist. Prof. Dr. Johannes Brandstetter (33) studied physics in Vienna and wrote his doctoral dissertation at the CERN nuclear research center.