China-Cuba Artificial Intelligence Research Institute inaugurated

Camagüey, Oct 15.- The Hebei University of International Studies (UEIH), in China, inaugurated, this Monday, the International Institute for Research in Artificial Intelligence, a project that began to take shape in April 2019 with the University of Camagüey (UC) as a leader and the participation of other Cuban universities, research centers and the Ministry of Higher Education of the Island.

During the ceremony, the foreign director of the Institute, doctor of science Yailé Caballero Mota, explained that this project has the commitment and great challenge of contributing to social development from Artificial Intelligence (AI) in areas such as biotechnology and biomedicine, environment, renewable energy, quality of life for the elderly, precision agriculture, industry 4.0 and telecommunications, among others.

“Today we open a great door for our universities and countries to continue traveling along the path of solidarity, development, innovation and knowledge. It is an opportunity to carry out applications with Chinese entities whose results will be used by Cuban research centers, companies and institutions, in favor of the digital transformation and computerization of society,” added Caballero Mota.

For his part, Doctor of Science Walter Baluja García, Minister of Higher Education of Cuba, stated that the Institute would constitute the basis to promote research, the development of applications and services, and the training of scientists and specialists, which will allow the deployment of a project cycle around intelligent systems.

“The institution will catalyze the advancement of AI in both nations, with a direct impact on their universities, and will contribute to the well-being of society. With it, international cooperation is promoted as an effective way to advance the development of our people, based on the great contribution that higher education can make,” said Baluja García.

The Institute contains a 5G wired wireless network station, an "intelligent brain for high-performance computing", a big data and cloud computing center, an intelligent decision-making room and 12 study laboratories for vocational training, while providing a powerful computational foundation for AI research.

It has three research centers dedicated to Artificial Intelligence for Professional Education, Industry Modernization and Business Intelligence. It is led by foreign academics and scientists, and is made up of 10 Chinese university leaders, professors specializing in information technologies and 12 experts in the field of AI from Cuba, Belgium, Spain, the United States, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Venezuela and Chile.

Also participating in the opening were Sun Jianzhong, Chinese president of the Institute, Dr. C. Rafael Esteban Bello Pérez, who will serve as advisor; as well as Dr. C. Santiago Lajes Choy, rector of the UC; Dr. C. María Matilde García Lorenzo, director of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Martha Abreu de Las Villas Central University and María Victoria Villavicencio Plasencia, director of International Relations of the MES. (Alexei Nápoles González/ UC Journalist) (Photos: Courtesy of Yailé Caballero Mota)