KICK Lab: AI laboratory for the City of Vienna

KICK Lab is an application- and implementation-oriented innovation platform that specialises in AI solutions for the City of Vienna, its administration and municipal companies. We accompany our partners throughout the entire innovation process: from ideation and identification of use cases to feasibility studies (proof of concept). We ensure that AI solutions are effectively introduced into practice in the public sector.

KICK Lab is an experimental space for artificial intelligence.

• Urban platform for exchange: The KICK Lab is a place for networking and exchange on the topic of AI – for municipal partners and our extended network.
• Interdisciplinary team and partner network: We offer content-related and methodological AI expertise in an interdisciplinary team to successfully carry out complex projects. Our network of experts further expands this expertise.
• User-centred design and citizen involvement: We ensure that citizens are involved in the development, testing and evaluation of AI tools. Therefore, we rely on methods from human-centred design.

 

Examples of projects: 

• AI ecosystem:
  We are building a representative network of committed organisations, AI experts, citizens and technology companies that actively participate in AI development processes..
• AI lab & tools:
  We are developing a (technical and organisational) laboratory environment that enables the systematic involvement of citizens in AI development processes. We test and evaluate innovative AI tools for our customers, as well as for AI-supported applications and business cases in the public sector.

• AI & citizen participation:
  At the KICK Lab, we are testing and developing new formats for digital participation in which artificial intelligence plays a supporting role. The aim is to make participation processes more accessible, inclusive and efficient through AI – in order to involve as many people as possible. We are working on testing this potential in real-life application scenarios in the public space.
• AI training & education formats:
  We create and deliver AI learning modules on various topics and issues, cooperating with our broad network of partners.

Structure: 

The KICK Lab, currently being formed, is open to all municipal companies and organisations in Vienna, and is financed by direct contracts and national subsidies.

Partners:

KICK Lab is operated by UIV Urban Innovation Vienna. We work in close coordination with the office of the CIO of the City of Vienna and with an extended circle of partners in the municipal environment. In addition we cooperate with external partners in the extended AI ecosystem in Vienna and Austria (private sector, research, NGOs, etc.)..