“The grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation gives us untold possibilities not only to conduct fundamental research in these new systems but also to strengthen this research field in Sweden. These are two aspects that are crucial in understanding, developing and using the new technology,” says Lars Nielsen, programme director for WASP and professor at Linköping University, host for WASP.
AI and AI/mathematics
The initiative in artificial intelligence will follow two pathways. The larger of these involves an investment into machine learning, deep learning and the next generation of AI. This has been termed “eXplainable AI” and involves asking the system how it reached a particular answer, whereby the system can justify its answers and use them in a general situation. The second pathway deals with increasing our understanding of the mathematical principles behind AI.
Professor Danica Kragic from the Royal Institute of Technology will lead the AI part of the programme, and Professor Johan Håstad, also from the Royal Institute of Technology, the AI/mathematics part.
“These are important fields for every industry, and the US, Canada and Great Britain have already put a lot of money into them. If we are not to be left behind, we need to be able to attract talented researchers from other parts of the world and to retain the greatest minds educated in Sweden. Folk with the necessary expertise are in high demand out there,” Professor Danica Kragic points out.
“The major advances in artificial intelligence, in which computers learn to drive vehicles, recognise faces and make well-informed decisions, have so far been achieved using engineering-based methods. In order to progress further, we also need to understand, in the full meaning of the word, the underlying mathematics,” Professor Johan Håstad states.
Graduate schools
Each of the two branches has resources to recruit 14 senior researchers and 40 research students, where the research students will become members of graduate schools and take specialist courses in relevant fields. The two new graduate schools will coordinate with the graduate school that has already been established within the framework of WASP, where just over 100 research students are currently studying. Both the senior researchers and the research students will be recruited at the universities that are participating in WASP, primarily Chalmers University of Technology, the Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University and Lund University. Further Swedish universities, however, may also benefit from the research grant.
The grant also provides SEK 70 million to reinforce computing infrastructure.
“This is a unique investment, even in an international perspective. WASP will in this way obtain the resources needed to create the knowledge platform that Sweden requires if it is to continue to hold its position at the forefront of research and remain competitive,” says Mille Millnert, chair of the WASP board.
Budget of 3 billion kronor
With this extension, WASP will have a budget of SEK 3 billion between now and 2026. At least 250 research students will be educated, at least 75 of them being industry-based research students. This is a powerful investment with connections to many different parts within artificial intelligence, software development and principles of autonomy. The new grant will also enable the recruitment of 46 senior researchers, the construction of demonstrators (arenas in which the research and commercial worlds can meet in concrete projects), investment into computer infrastructure, guest researcher programmes, and international collaboration.
For more information about the Wallenberg Autonomous Systems and Software Program, contact
Lars Nielsen, WASP programme director, lars.nielsen@liu.se, +46 70 208 1307
Mille Millnert, chair of the WASP board, mille.millnert@liu.se, +46 70 617 7411
Danica Kragic, professor at the Royal Institute of Technology, dani@kth.se, +46 8 790 6729
Johan Håstad, professor at the Royal Institute of Technology, johanh@kth.se, +46 8 790 6289.
Photo credit deep learning: iStock photos
Related links
Press release from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
Additional press release from Chalmers, hosting Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technologu, WACQT
Video describing WASP, produced by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation:
