CIRRUS AI: A New AI Research Initiative for Africa

CIRRUS AI: A New AI Research Initiative for Africa

A Collaborative Partnership Between WITS School of Chemistry & Cortex Group

DEPUTY VICE-Chancellor: Research and Postgraduate Affairs, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, announced and introduced the Cirrus AI Initiative at AI Expo Africa 2019 – a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Operation in Africa, that will see a collaborative partnership between the Molecular Sciences Institute (MSI), University of the Witwatersrand (WITS)’s School of Chemistry and Cortex Group.

Hosted by MSI in the WITS School of Chemistry, the newly formed Cirrus AI Initiative will focus on the analysis of research data in chemistry, with a view to collaborate with physics, technology and engineering projects – using Machine Learning (ML). Professor Zeblon Vilakazi said, “WITS is one of the leading institutions in Machine Learning and Data Science research in Africa. This collaboration will boost the WITS’s efforts, as it envisions a step change in the research and application of AI in the region.”

Advances in AI, and its application in addressing Africa’s challenges, have the potential to drive innovation in academia and industry, as well as shape future societies. There is a growing need for talent, infrastructure and funding to support such innovation – and, to fully realise the opportunities presented in our technology and datadrive world.

Vilakazi stressed, that to become competitive in this new wave of innovation requires efforts in South Africa on a magnitude far greater than any previous endeavour spanning academia and industry. These efforts are fuelled by AI and the 4th Industrial Revolution, as well as access to substantial resources and investment in new technologies across North America, Europe and Asia.

Cirrus AI aims to create a collaborative university and industry platform, supporting an ecosystem that fosters innovation and entrepreneurialism. As the host university, WITS will lead the Cirrus AI Initiative’s cooperation efforts