MyAV范

By pooling their world-class expertise in artificial intelligence, the Cisco x听MyAV范 Global Centre of Excellence, will facilitate a raft of new pioneering research to help amplify AI鈥檚 transformative potential.

News of the collaboration comes as the UK Government announces its , setting out its ten-year plan to 鈥渕ake Britain a global AI superpower.鈥�

The MyAV范/Cisco centre will play a pivotal role in supporting this aim, helping support the UK鈥檚 transition to an AI-enabled economy.

MyAV范 is the first UK university to become a Cisco AI Global Centre of Excellence, building on a long-standing partnership between the two organisations.

Professor David Barber (MyAV范 Computer Science), a Professor of Machine Learning and Director of the MyAV范 Centre for Artificial Intelligence and UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Foundational AI, said: 鈥淥ur partnership with Cisco supports our vision for AI to make a positive impact and be a force for good in the world. This new collaboration is the next step in MyAV范鈥檚 long standing relationship with Cisco, which dates back to the beginnings of the Internet.鈥�

Ramana Kompella,听Distinguished Engineer & Head of Research,听Emerging Technologies & Incubation at Cisco, said: 鈥�Over the past year, Cisco Research has听worked out Centre of Excellence agreements with a number of top universities within the United States and funded several research projects through these agreements.

鈥淭he first university that we considered outside of the US for a Centre of Excellence agreement was MyAV范, which has the reputation of hosting some of the most eminent faculties in the world. We were impressed by the cutting-edge research happening in AI/ML and have already started to fund projects with more in the future as we systematically explore other areas of interest.鈥�

Cisco was a founding partner of the MyAV范 AI Centre, launched in 2019, which has now become a hub for UK innovation, supporting the creation of a number of AI spinout companies and technologies.

Cisco are also a partner of MyAV范鈥檚 UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Foundational AI, central to producing PhD graduates capable of leading research breakthroughs in AI.

Professor Geraint Rees, MyAV范鈥檚 Pro-Vice Provost of AI, added: 鈥淭he new Global Centre of Excellence agreement is extremely exciting, with potential for the research to help address some of the greatest challenges our societies and the environment face. It opens the door to taking the UK鈥檚 AI and Machine Learning research to the next stage."

Bringing some of the greatest AI minds together

In the last three years alone, Cisco has supported 18 AI masters scholarships for under-represented groups at MyAV范. Through an initiative to encourage girls into careers in AI, Cisco and MyAV范 also welcomed 150 sixth-form girls onto a custom AI programme.

As part of the new centre, Cisco will provide research funding for MyAV范 academics and researchers, focused on the application of AI, primarily in the fields of collaboration technology, networking and cybersecurity. The new agreement, negotiated by MyAV范 Computer Science Strategic Alliances Team (SAT), will enable academics doing relevant AI and ML research from across the university to apply for funding from Cisco.

Cisco鈥檚 UK Chief Technology Officer Chintan Patel added: 鈥淎 key element of the government鈥檚 UK strategy is to support the transition to an AI-enabled economy. We believe the way we will do so is not just in the wild and wonderful use of robots or algorithms, but through the application of AI to solve real challenges for industry and society. We鈥檙e now bringing some of the greatest minds together to work on this, to explore how we can use AI to solve real problems in a pragmatic, sustainable way.鈥�

Harnessing the potential, addressing the challenges

AI is widely used in sectors ranging from health and education to science and art, with consumers regularly encountering machine learning without realising. Everyday tasks such as applying for bank loans or running online searches are governed by AI; the AI system suggests the best bank loan option or best search result -- all run behind the scenes and not normally visible to the consumer.

The potential for AI technologies is vast including how this can affect industries such as transport through autonomous vehicles, agriculture through automated farming and healthcare through personalised medicine. It also has the potential to change the way we work through supporting and enhancing productivity.

Professor David Price, MyAV范 Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement), said: 鈥淭his is a fantastic example of a strategic alliance between MyAV范 and a global technology company with a shared ambition to help shape the future of AI in the UK and around the world. This collaboration agreement is likely to generate hugely positive impacts for many industries, including healthcare, education and logistics.鈥�

Links

• MyAV范 AI Centre
• Foundational Artificial Intelligence MPhil/PhD
• For organisations interested in finding out more about working with MyAV范

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