€87 million pushed into AI research in Amsterdam

Over the next five years, some 87 million euros will be made available for further research into the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Amsterdam. The money will be used to set up new laboratories where researchers from the Amsterdam universities can collaborate with the business community, Parool reports.

On Tuesday, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) promised the Amsterdam research institute Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence (ICAI) 25 million euros. The Ministry of Economic Affairs previously allocated 7.5 million euros to the center. And affiliated knowledge institutions, civil society organizations, and involved companies have already made almost 55 million euros available.

With the new cash injection, the ICAI will open 17 new research centers on top of its existing 29 laboratories “for the development of artificial intelligence in healthcare, logistics, media, food, and energy.” The labs will provide a permanent place for 85 Ph.D. researchers who will remain involved in the research for at least five years and temporary places for employees from the involved companies and institutions.

“This is an important boost for the region because artificial intelligence research needs a lot of good people to stay at the top,” an ICAI spokesperson said to the newspaper.