Artificial Intelligence Institute

Artificial Intelligence (AI) began to peak gradually in the 2000s and has resulted from the combination of machine learning with Big Data. The algorithms behind these systems operate through the statistical correlation of the data being analyzed, thus enabling machines to perform basic computational functions.

It is well known that a variety of scientific fields, applications and technologies such as e.g. Large Scale Machine Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Data Science, Robotics etc. are practiced in combination under the broader interdisciplinary subject of AI, which is today perhaps the most interesting technological object in the world with huge scientific, economic and social dimensions and perspectives.

The I.T.N. falls under the University Research Center (P.E.K.) of the University of Patras as an autonomous scientific and research unit. It is staffed with faculty members and special teaching/research staff from the Departments of Mathematics, Computer Engineering and Informatics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Business Administration, as well as faculty members and from other Departments of the University of Patras whose research work is significantly relevant to the field of I.T.N., along with researchers of recognized standing from the broader field of Artificial Intelligence and its applications.

The initial core Research Units of the Institute are as follows:

Mathematics and Foundations of AI
Machine Learning
Reasoning and Symbolic AI
Problem Solving

Within these research units, all scientific fields and applications of Artificial Intelligence are included as sub-units.

Since AI is an interdisciplinary and cutting-edge field that continuously evolves, new Research Units will be established to cover emerging scientific or interdisciplinary areas and applications of AI. The creation of a new Research Unit will be approved by the Institute’s Coordinating Committee (S.E.I.) upon request from the Research Group Coordinator, provided it is justified that the objectives and goals of the I.T.N. are met. The specification of acceptance criteria will be determined by the S.E.I. and approved by the Board of Directors of P.E.K.

The objective of the Artificial Intelligence Institute (AII) is to conduct basic and applied research in the scientific area of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with particular emphasis on the foundations, but also in the development of applications for solving real world problems. Since AI touches on a wide variety of scientific areas, such as cognitive psychology, philosophy, computer science, mathematics, etc., the primary purpose of AI is developing synergies with all the Departments of the University of Patras, which either have research activity within one of areas of AI or deal with research issues in which AI can provide solutions.

The objectives of I.T.N. included:

Promotion and development of research in the field of AI and production of new knowledge.
Promoting the collaboration of scientists and scientific teams from different scientific fields.
Outreach by creating collaborations with other Universities and Research Centers of Greece and the European Union, but also on a global scale.
Claim funding from National and European competitive research/development programs.
Claim funding through the provision of services to third parties (private sector such as media, industry, banks, organizations)
Contribution to education in AI both at undergraduate and postgraduate level with the participation of researchers of the institute in relevant study programs or the creation of new study programs at the University of Patras and/or in collaboration with other Universities.
Attracting both young, emerging scientists and established researchers of international prestige who are active in research and development in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
Organization of workshops, seminars, and international scientific conferences in the field of Artificial Intelligence and its applications.
To connect with the local society and to contribute towards meeting the educational, research, social, cultural and developmental needs of the local community and the country.