New AI research environment at Uppsala University
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are growing rapidly on a global scale and offering unique opportunities for research, education and the development of human societies. To be able to coordinate and exploit the potential of this research field, Uppsala University will start a creative hub, AI for Research, at the University Library Carolina Rediviva later in the year.
Starting in autumn 2020, researchers from all over the University will come together at Carolina Rediviva to share ideas and develop research projects related to AI. Researchers will work 50 per cent of full time for a year as part of AI for Research; after that, new researchers will move into the research environment. The idea is that the researchers will find collaborators from other disciplinary domains and take back what they learn to their home departments.
Darek Haftor, professor at the Department of Informatics and Media is one of the researchers admitted to AI for research for autumn 2020.
Operational and economic benefits with AI
Darek Haftor about his research and the new research environment:
I am very happy to be part of the AI for research, AI4Research, initiative at Uppsala University. We know that our societies will expand the use of numerous of applications of artificial intelligence for various aims.
My research focuses on the understanding of what use of AI gives rise to operational and economic benefits. The use of AI will, however, bring some unanticipated consequences, positive and negative. The adoption of use of AI is complex, which includes digital and other technologies, human individuals, groups, organisations, policy-makers, governments and other.
The AI4Research initiative can help us to deal with that complexity by bringing the many disciplines together, learn from each other and thereby learn to understand the uses of AI. This, in turn, may help us to produce new knowledge about how to use AI successfully, eliminating unwanted consequences for the benefits of healthcare, schools, governments, businesses and industries, and many, many more.
The AI4Research initiative exploits the benefit of a full university with the many disciplines, which Uppsala University manifests. It is now our task to bring these disciplines together focused on the common theme of AI and its use. I look very much forward to meet new and old colleagues, to discus and learning from them, and to find new research endeavours aimed at knowledge that may better the human condition.
More about the new AI research environment at Uppsala University