Ace participated in the second edition of the International Congress on Psychology, Technological Innovation (AI) and Entrepreneurship (CIPIE 2026), organized by the University of Navarra and held in Madrid.
The event brought together researchers and professionals in brain and mental health to promote research, technological innovation, knowledge transfer, and technological entrepreneurship.
What did Ace present at the CIPIE 2026?
Representing Ace, Dr. Sergi Valero, Head of the AI Research Program, presented the center’s strategy for incorporating artificial intelligence into the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease through the development and integration of spontaneous speech analysis tools, their validation in clinical studies, and their subsequent implementation. The presentation described how Ace has successfully connected research with innovation in clinical settings to improve patient care.
As Dr. Valero explained during his presentation, the project began after identifying the need to improve the early detection of cognitive impairment in community settings. Based on this, a strategy was developed using generative AI-based language processing models—a more specialized version of chatbots such as GPT or Claude—to identify speech patterns, validate models in clinical contexts, and advance toward their implementation in community settings.
Some of these advances have also been reflected in recent scientific publications, including a study published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy on speech analysis using machine learning across the Alzheimer’s disease spectrum. The study involved several Ace researchers, including Dr. Mercè Boada and Dr. Sergi Valero.
Sharing these advances at a congress such as CIPIE helps build and strengthen collaborations with other institutions and researchers working in the same field and, above all, supports the development of research that goes beyond the laboratory to generate real-world impact for people living with Alzheimer’s disease today.
