The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) has every reason to feel a sense of pride; a research institute without parallel in Europe is in the process of being established in Vienna. Until now, artificial intelligence has often been used as a tool in biomedicine, e.g. in data analysis, but at AITHYRA it will be applied from the very outset in developing hypotheses, from experiment to data evaluation, always applying the highest ethical standards.
The aim is to achieve a deeper awareness of the contexts of biomedicine – and thus a better understanding of disease, enabling quicker and more reliable diagnosis and the development of new treatments. Findings from academic researchers are expected to make a contribution every bit as significant as those from research companies and start-ups.
The institute is being funded by the non-profit Boehringer-Ingelheim-Stiftung (BIS) and will be located in the Vienna BioCenter, the city’s life sciences hotspot. More than 5,000 scientists will be researching on campus and a host of the on-site research institutions enjoy a fine reputation on the international stage.
The institute has managed to recruit Michael Bronstein as its inaugural director; the Oxford professor is considered an AI expert and has won no less than five grants from the European Research Council (ERC). A biomedical director to complement this AI expertise is yet to be appointed for the institute but Bronstein is convinced that “AI will drive the biological revolution of the next decade” and is in no doubt that the institute will be a success.
The name of the institute was in fact developed with AI and inspired by Greek mythology; AITHYRA was the daughter of Athene, the goddess of wisdom, and Asclepius, the god of medicine, and will thus be both a tutelary deity and a source of inspiration.
© ÖAW/Natascha Unkart
Even before the new institute opens its doors, a slew of meet-ups with an AI focus feature in Austria’s events calendar for mid-October:
- The Applied Artificial Conference on 17 October, co-organised by ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA; participation is also possible via a livestream
- Expedition AI 3.0: 15-16 October
- Future of AI symposium: 16 October
- Bilateral meeting of the Austrian-Japanese Committee for Future Issues with a focus on AI: 18 October
- TED AI Conference in Vienna: 17-19 October
