Optus Business is partnering with Curtin University in Western Australia to work together on artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership will create a new research group embedded in the School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences – with strong links to the Curtin Institute for Computation – that will focus on the impact of AI on regional telecommunications, higher education, and the urban environment. The five-year project will also see the appointment of an Optus chair in artificial intelligence and three Optus Research Fellows, as well as funding for PhD scholarships and student projects.
“This five-year alliance is built on a shared vision and strong track record of industry engagement and innovation,” Curtin University vice-chancellor professor Deborah Terry said. “It will also help Curtin University to train the highly skilled and industry-ready students of the future.”
Optus has similar research partnerships with other universities, including cybersecurity research hubs at both Macquarie University in Sydney and La Trobe University in Melbourne.
“The development of artificial intelligence is among the most exciting and emerging areas of research and as a leading science and technology research university, Curtin is the perfect partner for this project,” said Optus Business managing director John Paitaridis. “Fully realizing the application of technology, like artificial intelligence, is critical in how we’re helping organizations address digital disruption. Great innovation comes from collaboration, which is why we are so pleased to be joining with Curtin to create a Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence by bringing together the experience and expertise of industry and academia. Importantly, this partnership will help build real-world solutions while growing the skills of the future workforce.”