Although the goal of endowing machines with human-like intelligence has been around for more than half a century, it was not until the last decade that we have witnessed a real boom in applications, due to improvements in neural networks, advances in supercomputing, and the availability of big data.

In this context, Catalonia is one of the world’s best positioned regions, thanks to the confluence of technological advances and a robust and mature research and development system in terms of digital technologies. Testimony to this is Microsoft’s recent announcement that it will be creating a new centre in Barcelona dedicated to research and development in AI applications.

Catalonia is one of the world’s best positioned regions, thanks to the confluence of technological advances and a robust and mature research and development system in terms of digital technologies.

Pompeu Fabra University stands out both in the development of AI as well as in several fields of knowledge in which AI is commonly used as a tool. In fact, according to a report by the Catalan Directorate General for Economic Promotion, Competition and Regulation, UPF ranks third amongst Catalan organizations that engage in research and innovation in AI, trailing only the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and tied with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS).

The challenges posed by the use of big data and AI also require new training offers at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. UPF is well aware of this and has already started working on it. Examples include the master’s degree programme in Interactive Intelligent Systems or the new bachelor’s degree programme in Mathematical Engineering in Data Science – whose first graduating class received their diplomas this September – which was designed to train the experts who will extract and process the data we generate with the aim of creating services and applications that contribute to the common good.