Technion AI #1 in Europe

For the second year in a row, the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Europe’s top-ranked university in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), according to the prestigious international CSRankings. The consecutive win further establishes the Technion’s position as a leading institution in the field.

The Technion’s efforts to promote its activities and standing in the field of artificial intelligence continue to bear fruit. In addition to claiming the top spot for Europe and Israel, the Technion placed 16th in the world in AI, and 10th in the world in the subfield of learning systems.

The Technion’s in-depth and ongoing activity in the various fields of AI is reflected, among other things, in the recruitment of researchers and students from all Technion units to promote interdisciplinary AI research, and increasing the number of new programs and initiatives in its various fields with leading companies in knowledge-intensive industries, top universities and research institutions around the world.

Against this background, the Technion is establishing its own AI community that will empower its student body and researchers working in all fields of artificial intelligence and deepen the Technion’s many collaborations with industry and academia in these fields.

Some 150 Technion researchers are currently involved in Tech.AI, the Technion’s Center for Artificial Intelligence (formerly MLIS, the Machine Learning and Intelligent Systems). Tech.AI researchers apply advanced methodologies and tools at the forefront of artificial intelligence in various fields, including data science, medical research, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, architecture, and biology. The Tech.AI activity is led by Prof. Shie Mannor from the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Prof. Assaf Schuster from the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science; and Prof. Shai Shen-Orr from the Technion’s Rapaport Faculty of Medicine.

Prof. Shie Mannor

“The Technion continues to establish its position as the leading research institution in Israel and Europe in the core areas of artificial intelligence, thanks to the unique work environment in this field at the Technion,” said Prof. Mannor. “This environment currently comprises about 150 researchers from a variety of faculties, research centers with extensive activity, and a growing number of study programs in the field and research initiatives and programs that are the result of collaborations between the Technion and the leading companies and organizations in Israel and the world.”

“Solidifying the Technion’s position as a pioneer and world leader in the field of AI and spreading the knowledge acquired in this process to the commercial world in all its aspects, are very important national tasks,” added Prof. Schuster. “Tech.AI operates around the clock and through a variety of channels and activities to deepen Technion education that promotes AI research and its application in all faculties and research centers and to provide students and researchers dealing in all AI fields with the most supportive environment.”

Prof. Assaf Schuster

According to Prof. Shen-Orr, who leads the biomed activity and AI solutions for the health sector within the Tech.AI framework, “the Tech.AI center brings together all of the Technion’s biomed activity in the field of AI and positions it in a dominant place in the world, with extensive partnerships with leading companies such as Pfizer and IBM and leading medical institutions in Israel and the world, including the Rambam Health Care Campus and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Prof. Shai Shen-Orr

Recently, an agreement was signed to establish a Zimin Institute at the Technion for AI Solutions in Healthcare at the Technion that will operate as part of Tech.AI. The Institute will promote interdisciplinary projects and develop technologies based on Big Data and computational learning to improve human health. It will support selected projects, giving preference to proposals that have an applied component and with the intention of establishing startup companies.”

Companies in the AI industry and business are invited to contact Gady Paran, the institute’s marketing director, to establish relationships and cooperation in a variety of AI fields.