Leaders in Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence (LPBI) Group

The launch of SCAI – Interview with Gérard Biau, director of the Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI).

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Why create a center dedicated to artificial intelligence at Sorbonne University?

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It is already transforming society and changing our lives. In the context of increasing international competition, the French government launched an ambitious strategy, AI for Humanity, in March 2018 with the goal of propelling France among the leaders of AI. SCAI is fully committed to this program.

Thanks to Sorbonne University’s faculties of Letters, Medicine and Sciences & Engineering, with its partners of the Alliance, has brought together considerable strength in the fundamental aspects of the AI (in mathematics, in computer science, in robotics), its applications (in health, environment or artistic creation) and in digital humanities. In total, more than one hundred experts from many laboratories are directly involved in AI research.

The aim of SCAI is to unite these capabilities in a place where the disciplines can enrich each other, share their experiences and identify common issues to advance innovative projects.

Designed as an “AI house” in the heart of Paris, the center aims to motivate, organize and make visible multidisciplinary research in AI through the establishment of chairs of excellence, support and hospitality, interdisciplinary projects, concerted responses to calls for tenders, the creation of task forces, the setting up of doctoral programs and more.

Internationally recognized experts, such as Jim Kurose, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts and advisor to the US government on AI, will bring their expertise to define the strategic directions of the center.

What relationships does the research and training center intend to maintain with the industrial world?

The development of AI, which involves the deployment of technological objects such as the autonomous car, will not happen without the expertise and know-how from companies. It is therefore essential to involve our industrial partners today to focus on an application transformation of AI.

To achieve this goal, we wanted to establish Chairs of Excellence that will allow us to collaborate on innovative themes with the industrial world. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with Thales and Total and a partnership with Atos is being developed on the subject of precision medicine.

In addition, we have signed an agreement with the AP-HP which should enable the exchange of expertise, skills, the setting up of joint projects, the implementation of simplified access to the Health Data Warehouse, the mobility of researchers or students, and communication and awareness actions.

SCAI is also working with international transfer and industrial recovery centers and will be an integral part of Paris Parc, the future innovation park of Sorbonne University.

SCAI: 4 research areas: mathematics-informatics-robotics, health-medicine, climate-environment-Universes and digital humanities More than 100 scientists, 150 doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, 300 students More than 20 industrial partners (from start-ups to large international groups) 700 m² in the heart of Paris 1 satellite center on the Abu Dhabi campus of Sorbonne University

SOURCE

http://www.sorbonne-universite.fr/en/newsroom/actualites/launch-scai