Officially launched yesterday at the JKU, “Broad AI” aims to be significantly better and possess higher problem-solving capabilities than ChatGPT, for example.
While major world powers, such as the USA or China, and large corporations, compete daily to be among the first to develop cutting-edge advancements in AI, researchers in Austria do not plan on standing idly by: “Bilateral AI” is an Austrian Science Fund ‘Cluster of Excellence’ project that seeks to take AI to the next level by bringing two of the most important approaches in AI research together: symbolic AI (which uses clearly defined rules of logic), and sub-symbolic AI (based on machine learning). These two approaches are being integrated to generate a new, more comprehensive and adaptable AI (“Broad AI”) with far better and more problem-solving capabilities.

In the real world, “Broad AI” can, for example, intelligently regulate power grids, improve climate models, and streamline healthcare processes. It is not just about data processing, but an in-depth understanding of correlations and interaction

Univ. Prof. Dr. Sepp Hochreiter (JKU, head of the Cluster): “We already encounter AI systems on a daily basis and while they can be well-suited in regard to their defined tasks, once environmental conditions change slightly, for example, or something different than expected happens, they are unable to solve the problem. There are countless examples in medicine, climate change, and our energy supply. Our vision of 'Broad AI' is more general and responds to any unexpected changes and/or exceptional circumstances, thereby representing a completely new level of AI. We are pooling all of the expertise of Austrian AI research to pursue our vision. Our goal is very ambitious, with mankind’s interest in mind, and to benefit our society.”

Univ. Prof. Dr. Agata Ciabbatoni (TU Vienna, Board of Directors, Cluster member, and Assistant Head of Research Module 7, Ethical AI Systems): “We want to create an AI that not only thinks rationally, but also acts in a legally correct, ethically sensitive, and socially acceptable manner. A key cornerstone within the Cluster is supporting and educating junior scientists in both areas of AI - machine learning and logic-based AI – which are the fundamental building blocks of so-called 'Broad AI'. An additional top priority is providing support for female doctoral candidates in an effort to educate the next generation of leading researchers in the field of AI.”

Scholars, researchers, and scientists from the JKU, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Graz University of Technology, the University of Klagenfurt, and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) are working together in the Austrian Science Fund’s (FWF) Cluster of Excellence “Bilateral AI” program. A total of 46 key researchers are currently involved in the project, including some 40 PhD and post-doc candidates. The five-year project will receive €33 million in funding and can be extended an additional ten years (with a total of €70 million in funding).

Leading AI Researchers at the JKU
Approximately 300 researchers, scholars, scientists, industry representatives, members of the business community, and government representatives attended yesterday's launch at the JKU’s Kepler Hall to talk about the project’s goals and its vision. JKU Rector Stefan Koch spelled out the reasons why it is so important: “Science, business, and industry have to come together and join forces in order to successfully create a new level of AI in Austria and Europe. 'Bilateral AI' is a great opportunity as it pools leading AI research in Austria - meaning the JKU, and other research institutions - to actively drive advancements in AI technology forward and ensure it reflects European values.”

The JKU Linz is an AI Hub
The JKU's Linz Institute of Technology (LIT) incorporates AI into its interdisciplinary research environment, conducting research not only on the technology itself, but also taking social impact into consideration - such as AI and the law, and human-robot interaction, to name a few - all in line with the university's overall research focus on digital transformation. The JKU was one of Europe’s first universities to introduce an academic degree program in “Artificial Intelligence”, educating the AI pioneers of tomorrow since 2019.  www.jku.at, opens an external URL in a new window