A leading scientist in this field is Professor Maia Fraser, whose research encompasses both theoretical and applied facets of AI. She combines pure mathematics and computer science to analyze AI algorithms and develop new algorithms that address specific application challenges. Examples include her work in a Canada-UK AI Initiative project 2020-23 which built novel AI methods for customizing psychiatric care.
Most modern-day “AI” is driven by Machine Learning (ML) methods. These allow computers to “learn”; i.e., to acquire functionality by experience, rather than being programmed with this functionality. They find patterns in provided data and use these patterns to make predictions or take actions for new data. For example, after seeing many images of animals labeled cat or dog, an ML algorithm could develop a predictor that assigns a label of cat or dog to any new image.
In an increasingly AI-oriented world, ML algorithms are used in all sectors of society. Prof. Fraser maintains extensive connections with stakeholders and noticed that employers in science and high-tech fields were often not well-served by out-of-the-box ML algorithms that power AI use in many other fields. To incorporate AI into highly technical processes requires combined know-how in both Applied Math and ML. Larger companies can afford to train new hires from one area in the other, but small-medium enterprises (SME) face a notable skills gap. To bridge this gap, Prof. Fraser developed the novel Interdisciplinary Math and Artificial Intelligence Program (IMA). Her team — comprised of innovative researchers from uOttawa, McGill, Université de Montréal, and University of Guelph — was awarded a competitive Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) grant from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), which enables IMA to train highly qualified personnel in collaborative, interdisciplinary projects that blend Math and ML to solve applied problems, while focusing on increasing diversity in AI. Supporting partners of IMA are the AI research institutes Mila (Montreal) and Vector (Toronto) and the Math research institutes CRM (Montreal) and Fields (Toronto).
In Fall 2022, IMA admitted its first cohort of Math-oriented AI students and AI-oriented Math students, who will now pursue both passions collaboratively. They will also engage in Ethics-oriented activities as well as cross-disciplinary internships in tech sector SMEs. Prof. Florian Martin-Bariteau, Director of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society and the AI + Society Initiative, will anchor the central role of Ethics in IMA and help ensure the diversity of IMA’s applicants. “The biggest skill that we want to impart to students is the courage to cross disciplinary boundaries and to keep ethics in mind while developing AI.” says Prof. Fraser. IMA will not only help boost equity, diversity and inclusion in AI, but, as Prof. Fraser highlights, “There’s a lot more impetus for creativity when you have people from different backgrounds coming together and addressing challenges in collaboration.”
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