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Call Opens for Applicants for Second Round of AI Frontier Program for Fostering Human Resources
March 11, 2020
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will open a call for applicants for the second round of the AI Frontier Program for Fostering Human Resources. This program aims to discover human resources with outstanding talent in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) chips and next-generation computing; and foster such human resources into developers of groundbreaking ideas, designers of new algorithms, or creators of new applications that take advantage of AI technologies or computing technologies based on new principles.
1. Overview
AI and other advanced technologies, which have the potential to contribute significantly to Japan’s achievement of the Connected Industries and Society 5.0 policies, require significant computer resources to process large amounts of data. However, as some experts have been arguing that Moore’s law is coming to an end, which has been a driver in improving computer performance, and as the extension and improvement of existing technologies for improving computer performance are reaching a ceiling, industries have been demanding the realization of new hardware and software technologies.
Against this backdrop, this program will select applicants from the call to discover human resources with unique ideas and skills enabling the creation of innovations through excellent use of AI technologies and with outstanding talent in making use of these ideas and skills; and, following this, take certain support measure, (e.g., provide necessary resources to such human resources in order to improve their potential for success in the field of AI, and dispatch mentors to support the research and development of the selected applicants by providing technical or business advice). Through these efforts, the program aims to foster prominent human resources in these fields.
2. Information on the call
3. Period of the call
From February 28 (Fri.), to March 31 (Tue.), 2020, at 17:00.
4. Main eligibility for applicants
An applicant should be:
- An individual;
- Aged between 18 and 40 as of April 1, 2020;
- Someone who has never received and is currently not receiving any subsidies, etc. from public organizations, etc. for a theme that has any overlap with the theme proposed in the program; and
- Proactive in participating in the program as well as contributing to development of Japanese IT-related industries through the applicant’s research and development of the proposed theme.
5. Target fields for research and development themes for the call
METI will call for the following AI-related themes for research and development as it aims to discover human resources with outstanding talent and to foster them into developing groundbreaking ideas or designing new algorithms or creating new applications that augmenting current AI hardware and software technologies.
- Theme related to AI mechanisms, e.g., machine learning or deep learning technologies;
- Theme expected to effectively utilize AI, e.g., autonomous driving technologies, factory automation and robot control technologies; etc.
Division in Charge
Device Industry and Digital Consumer Electronics Strategy Office, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau