ETTEPLAN OYJ, Press Release, January 7, 2026 at 10:00 EET

Etteplan and Tampere University are starting a significant research collaboration focused on leveraging artificial intelligence in industrial applications. The goal of the partnership is to explore and develop solutions in two key areas related to industrial AI: autonomous AI agent technologies and capturing tacit knowledge into knowledge bases with the help of AI.

The collaboration will be carried out with Tampere University's GPT Lab research group, led by Professor of Software Engineering Pekka Abrahamsson. The group includes several doctoral students who will work closely with Etteplan's experts. The project will last two years, during which Etteplan will purchase research services from the university.

Exploring autonomous AI agent technologies and tacit knowledge transfer together
The research aims to identify new capabilities for autonomous AI agents that can automate entire industrial workflows, handle complex tasks, and utilize industry-specific knowledge. In addition, the project will investigate new AI methods to efficiently transform tacit knowledge into accessible and structured data formats, improving information retrieval, reducing knowledge loss during staff turnover, and accelerating decision-making.

"Autonomous AI agents and tacit knowledge management are areas where deep expertise is not yet widely available. Therefore, a research-driven approach is essential to ensure we can continue to offer innovative solutions to our customers in these fields. This collaboration also supports Etteplan's strategy to integrate AI into our service solutions and strengthens our position as a technological frontrunner," says Maaret Henriksson, AI Program Director at Etteplan.

"Autonomous AI agents and the utilization of tacit knowledge are critical factors for the future competitiveness of the industry. Working with Etteplan enables us to research and develop these themes in a genuine industrial context," says Pekka Abrahamsson, Professor of Software Engineering and Head of GPT Lab at Tampere University.

Further information:
Maaret Henriksson, AI Program Director, Etteplan, Tel. +358 50 482 0782
Outi Torniainen, SVP, Marketing and Communications, Etteplan, Tel. +358 10 307 3302
Pekka Abrahamsson, Professor, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University, Tel. +358 40 541 5929

About GPT Lab:
GPT Lab is a research group at Tampere University focusing on applying generative AI in software development. The team consists of professors, doctoral candidates, and researchers. GPT Lab explores new methods, models, and ethical questions related to AI in software engineering. The lab also offers companies the opportunity to test generative models in a secure environment. More information: https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/gpt-lab