Starting March 30 and running through May 30, applications are open for the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Cloud Computing Project call, which will provide funding of $1 million. Learn more.
The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through the RNCA (National Network for Advanced Computing) Unit FCCN, in partnership with Google, established a collaboration agreement in 2021 with the aim of supporting research projects in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Portugal over the next two years. This partnership resulted in the FCT being provided with credits on the Google Cloud Platform worth two million dollars, which should be used to the tune of one million in 2022 and one million in 2023. This agreement aims to make computing capacity available to support excellent research in Portuguese academia.
With the aim of making this computing capacity available, the FCT, through its unit FCCN, is opening applications from March 30 for an advanced Computing Projects Calls for the use of these resources. The call defines natural language processing and ethics in artificial intelligence as the preferred areas of research and development, which account for 80% of the resources. The remaining 20% is earmarked for other scientific areas.
Various types of entities are eligible to apply, including research and development institutions, collaborative laboratories, technology centers, as well as science and technology infrastructures, networks and consortia. Also private non-profit institutions whose main objective is research and development, digital innovation centers and companies that develop advanced computing projects (in research, development or innovation activities). It should also be noted that applications are eligible from individuals, working in Portugal and wishing to develop advanced computing projects in any scientific area.
There are several types of access within the scope of the competition, namely: Fixed Access (credits on Google Cloud Platform worth 25,000 USD) and Variable Access (credits on Google Cloud Platform worth up to 150,000 USD).
Applications must be submitted in English by May 30 - 12 noon Lisbon time. Information about the competition is available on the official competition page on the FCT website.
More information can be requested through the email address rnca@fccn.pt. The regulation was published in Diário da República.
