Greece eyes AI research hub status amid infrastructure and strategy gaps

Greece is positioning itself as a potential hub for artificial intelligence research, highlighted by the first European Summer School on Artificial Intelligence in Science. Organized by the Hellenic Institute of Advanced Studies (HIAS), the event gathers prominent AI researchers from Google DeepMind and leading academics from institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Max Planck.

HIAS, founded five years ago by Greek scientists primarily from the diaspora, aims to foster knowledge exchange and support young researchers. The summer school, held at the Acropolis Museum, attracted over 700 applications globally, with 200 participants selected. Over 100 attendees received scholarships to cover travel costs.

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Greece has excellent, highly trained human resources, but it lacks strong computational infrastructure, which is essential for developing AI applications.

Petros Koumoutsakos, a professor at Harvard and a key figure in HIAS, believes Greece has a realistic chance to become an AI research center. However, he points out critical shortcomings. "Greece has excellent, highly trained human resources, but it lacks strong computational infrastructure, which is essential for developing AI applications," Koumoutsakos stated.

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Our current strategy is rather abstract and outdated. Furthermore, state funds have been allocated without competitive processes and disproportionately in favor of theoretical research. If meritocracy and transparency in the distribution of money are not ensured, any effort will primarily serve political expediency, not science and society.

He further emphasized the need for a new national strategy to leverage AI for societal and national issues, criticizing the current approach as vague and outdated. Koumoutsakos also raised concerns about state funding, noting that funds have been allocated without competitive processes, disproportionately favoring theoretical research. "If meritocracy and transparency in the distribution of money are not ensured, any effort will primarily serve political expediency, not science and society," he warned.

Koumoutsakos drew parallels with Spain, suggesting that while countries like Greece and Spain may not have colossal private tech companies like the U.S., their model should focus on supporting top scientists and young entrepreneurs. He stressed the importance of infrastructure and strategic investment to realize Greece's potential in the AI field.

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Our countries may not have, like the US, the colossal private companies that cause the big changes, but our model must be different: support for our top scientists – Greece has produced many who are at the highest international level – as well as for young entrepreneurs and...