Science and business in the Netherlands are joining forces in the field of artificial intelligence. On Thursday April 26, the Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence (ICAI) was officially launched at Amsterdam Science Park. The first lab within ICAI is a partnership with Ahold Delhaize.

ICAI is focused on the joint development of AI technology through industry labs with the business sector, government and knowledge institutes. Maarten de Rijke, director of ICAI and professor of Information Retrieval at the University of Amsterdam: ‘The Netherlands has all the resources to take up a prominent position in the international AI landscape – top talent, innovation strength and research at world-class level. ICAI combines these strengths in a unique national initiative.’

ICAI is an open collaborative initiative between knowledge institutes that is aimed at AI innovation through public-private partnerships. The Center is located at Amsterdam Science Park and is initiated by the University of Amsterdam and the VU University Amsterdam together with the business sector and government. The organisation is built around industry labs – multi-year partnerships between academic and industrial partners aimed at technological and talent development. ICAI will be housed in a new co-development building where teaching, research and collaboration with the business sector and societal partners will come together.