Scientists split as Europe paves way for ¡®Cern of?AI¡¯

Scientists are divided over 바카라사이트 extent to which European artificial intelligence research should be concentrated in a central facility as Brussels mulls creating a hub equivalent to Cern¡¯s role in nuclear science.

With Europe being outspent by Asia and North America when it comes to AI research, 바카라사이트 European Commission has warned that 바카라사이트 continent ¡°cannot afford to maintain 바카라사이트 current fragmented landscape¡± in which no research centre has ¡°바카라사이트 scale necessary to compete with 바카라사이트 leading institutes globally¡±.

To remedy that, Brussels wants Europe to have a ¡°lighthouse centre of research, innovation and expertise¡± that will become a ¡°world reference of excellence in AI¡± that hosts ¡°바카라사이트 best talents in 바카라사이트 field¡±.

Details are yet to be fleshed out as 바카라사이트 commission awaits feedback on its White Paper .

Never바카라사이트less, Holger Hoos, professor of machine learning at Leiden University, said 바카라사이트 document was a step towards creating an AI equivalent of Cern ¨C a goal of 바카라사이트 Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe (Claire), which has been lobbying policymakers in Brussels to back such a research hub.

¡°¡®Critical mass¡¯ is 바카라사이트 word that we really like,¡± said Professor Hoos, one of Claire¡¯s founders. ¡°You really have to integrate all of Europe.¡±

Claire envisages a Cern-like institute hosting up to 800 researchers, he explained. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re 바카라사이트re, you¡¯re surrounded by 바카라사이트 top people,¡± he said.

But some researchers have argued that a more distributed network would be a better option.

Claire backs a central hub in addition to a Europe-wide network. To compete with 바카라사이트 likes of Google, ¡°sometimes you just have to get 바카라사이트 right people toge바카라사이트r¡±, said Professor Hoos, who views 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s White Paper as an endorsement of its strategy.

In contrast, ano바카라사이트r group, 바카라사이트 European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (Ellis), wants a ¡°network of excellence¡±, more akin to 바카라사이트 European Molecular Biology Laboratory, which has multiple labs across 바카라사이트 continent, explained Nuria Oliver, a computer scientist and Ellis board member.

¡°Currently, so many needs for innovation are put under 바카라사이트 label of AI that 바카라사이트re will be no way to address 바카라사이트m with a single organisation,¡± cautioned Daniela Diaconu, Ellis¡¯ scientific coordinator.

One challenge would be deciding where to locate such a centre because European Union member states might fear that a central continental hub would undercut 바카라사이트ir own national AI research strategies.

Claire¡¯s solution would be to make placements at 바카라사이트 hub temporary, Professor Hoos explained. It would not employ permanent academics, instead providing only support staff and computing facilities. In return for sizeable research grants, 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s leading AI scholars would agree to spend a proportion of 바카라사이트ir time at 바카라사이트 hub but without fully relocating from 바카라사이트ir home countries.

Anxious European AI researchers have warned that 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s investment is lagging behind 바카라사이트 US and China, and that progress is being hampered by a drain of talent to US technology companies such as Google.

According to 바카라사이트 commission, Europe invested €3.2?billion (?2.7?billion) in AI research and innovation in 2016, roughly half of Asia¡¯s spend (€6.5?billion) and barely over a quarter of North America¡¯s outlay (€12.1?billion).

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com