connAIx: New Graduate Center for Applied AI about to be founded

The establishment of the new Graduate Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence Baden-Württemberg, led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), is entering the final preparatory phase: In February, the participating universities plan to sign the founding agreement in the presence of State Science Minister Petra Olschowski. The name of the institution has already been decided: "connAIx - Research School for Applied AI". The term combines "connect" with "AI" and stands for the close networking of research, application and business in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

"connAIx offers a strong platform for young researchers and exchange with industry. The combination of basic research and application is crucial in order to transfer AI technologies responsibly into practice," says Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President Research, Teaching and Academic Affairs at KIT. The aim is to strengthen young scientists and accelerate the transfer of research results to industry.

The center is scheduled for completion in 2029 and will promote the training of specialists in AI-related future fields such as chip design, robotics and cyber security and specifically support doctoral students working at the interface of computer science, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. connAIx will be established as a KIT site in Heilbronn and operated jointly with the Universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen. In addition to ten professors, more than 60 doctoral students and around 20 postdocs will conduct research at the graduate center. Doctoral students who want to research and apply AI in production, mobility, energy or health will find organized doctoral programmes, a wide range of opportunities for interdisciplinary networking and access to state-of-the-art infrastructure. The state of Baden-Württemberg is funding connAIx with up to 30 million euros per year.

To the press release of the Ministry of Science, Art and Research Baden-Württemberg