Scientific support for the development of the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI)

To further expand value creation with »AI made in Baden-Württemberg«, the state government of Baden-Württemberg announced an open competition in 2020 offering seed funding of up to 50 million euros for the creation of an AI Innovation Park in Baden-Württemberg. Heilbronn also applied for the funding and was awarded the grant based on the decision of an international jury of experts. The Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) is being developed as a place where business, academia, and public institutions come together to collaborate on ethically responsible AI-based solutions. To this end, a campus with state-of-the-art infrastructure is being built on over 23 hectares in the newly developed Steinäcker district, offering stakeholders a unique environment in which to jointly develop AI solutions. The KODIS Research and Innovation Center will provide scientific support during the IPAI’s multi-year development phase.

The KODIS Research and Innovation Center provides a wide range of research services for IPAI, each focusing on different aspects of value creation through AI and data-driven services. These include studies and white papers on the design of (AI) real-world laboratories, the potential of quantum computing and data pooling, the certification and validation of AI applications, and smart public services in the newly emerging Steinäcker district. In addition, KODIS will establish innovation networks to collaborate with practitioners and targeted experts in developing future applications of AI services in the manufacturing sector or in the »City of Tomorrow«. KODIS will contribute AI service demonstrators to the visitor area at Ipai. Through a variety of event formats, the initiative also aims to foster dialogue with the general public and the (scientific) expert community regarding the opportunities and challenges of AI applications.