How did you come up with the idea to become a REC Impact Fellow at UvA?

'After an alumni session at the Faculty of Economics and Business on “How to get the most out of AI for your business”, I ran into Mark Siebert. This led to a conversation about AI and its broader societal impact, touching on themes such as rapid change in education, alternative career perspectives, and the sustainability of our economic system. During these discussions, it became clear to me that the REC Impact Fellowship could be a good fit.

I actively follow developments in AI through news, podcasts, and discussions with others in the field. At the same time, I observe that many projects in AI and ML face significant challenges and do not consistently deliver the level of innovative impact that was initially envisioned. This is partly inherent to innovation, which is uncertain and often not immediately successful.

Another contributing factor is the FOMO surrounding “doing something” with AI, where initiatives are started without a clear understanding of what is possible or what is minimally required for success. Research shows that the percentage of successful projects remains relatively low. With better guidance, understanding, and practical advice, I believe both this success rate and the quality of technology-related decisions can improve.

Transforming this reflection and intrinsic interest into meaningful impact is what makes the REC Impact Fellowship an appealing way to move from thought to action. Access to cutting-edge knowledge at UvA, combined with a generation of curious minds maturing in a period of rapid change, creates a uniquely strong environment.'

What was your first experience on campus?

'In 2002, I started at UvA at the Faculty of Economics, pursuing my interest in finance and business. This interest was triggered by my first job at a startup and my introduction to venture capital. Living in the heart of the city allowed me to combine working life with attending classes and studying at the nearby library.

One assignment I worked on with another student involved developing an SMS-based service. Our idea, that would clearly have made us millions, was to apply Philips’ speech recognition technology to identify a song heard in, for example, a bar. You would record a short fragment on your phone, send it via SMS to a server where it would be analysed, and receive an SMS with the song title and artist. In hindsight, this was a clear precursor to Shazam, of which I am now an avid (almost daily) user.'

What do you hope the Fellowship will bring you?

'The fellowship journey is twofold and focuses on two impact streams:

• (Agentic) AI in SMEs
• Acceleration and dynamics of AI developments

The first stream aligns with my drive to deliver practical, tangible impact. SMEs provide an environment where value creation can be directly observed and measured. In this context, initiatives must deliver immediate value to remain relevant and be acted upon, given inherent constraints on people and resources. Moreover, SMEs are often underrepresented as a research focus in academia, and this stream could add valuable depth to this segment at UvA.

The second stream addresses a more fundamental aspect of AI: how humans relate to the accelerating pace of change. The speed and scale of current developments are unprecedented and can be overwhelming, often leading to uncertainty or unease.

Approaching these developments through a more structured and reflective lens, by navigating the volume of information, developing a constructive attitude, and creating a sense of grip, can lead to a healthier rapport with the technology. Through demystification, unrealistic perceptions of AI can be addressed. Note that both excessive optimism and exaggerated fears are not functional in making the right trade-offs.

'Nuancing these perceptions and dealing with the complexity of the subject benefit from an environment that encourages open debate, open-mindedness, and interdisciplinary perspectives. REC Impact offers precisely these conditions.'