Cyprus Mail Interview Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology

Cyprus Mail Interview

Demetris Skourides,

Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology

Questions:

  1. How is Cyprus leveraging AI and machine learning technologies to promote innovation within startups and established industries?

The Government aspires, through targeted measures and incentives, to accelerate the development and adoption of AI in the public and private sectors, but also to integrate AI applications into its structures and services in a way that substantially improves the services it provides to citizens (e.g. through the Smart Cities project).

To that extent, the Deputy Ministry for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy is currently in the process of reviewing the national AI strategy.

According to the DESI index for Cyprus, a mere 2.6% of enterprises have adopted AI solutions and just 6.2% have adopted Big Data technology solutions. There are also shortages in skilled personnel that we are addressing through a wide range of training initiatives some of which have already been announced. The acquisition of digital skills from a young age is also part of our agenda. In addition, we are participating in the processes to develop a regulation for the safe and reliable use of AI at the European level (AI Act), the first comprehensive legislation to regulate AI globally, the adoption of which is expected to stimulate investment and innovation in the AI sector, while ensuring respect for Europe’s fundamental rights and values.

At the same time, the Business Digital Upgrade Plan by the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry includes as eligible expenses the integration and utilization of AI and other advanced digital technologies by enterprises. This scheme is expected to accelerate adoption of such technologies by the private sector.

Last but not least, as a country we have significant capabilities in ICT-related research, including AI. This is something we intend to make good use in our digital transformation efforts. We continuously invest in developing skills related to artificial intelligence through HRDA courses where employees can access the latest trainings for cloud and AI fundamentals.  Several Centres of Excellence, Kios and CYENS, BioBank, CMMI to name a few are also leveraging AI, ML in their work including the work undertaken at KIOS in building a multi-modal kit providing capabilities such as drone and vision-based traffic assessment tools, smart camera, crowd detection and localization, and digital twin. The work of CYENs that leverages AI and virtual reality for cultural heritage application in addition to the digital twin of Nicosia city.  Artificial intelligence, and machine learning are used extensively also in the health industry, examples include the work of Biobank where AI, ML are leveraged to analyse the Cypriot genome, classify patient severity based on polygenic risk score and other institutes such as CING where AI is used from a research perspective in projects tackling Parkinsons, Alzheimer’s disease projects codenamed; AIPrognosis and ComfortAge.  Various institutions and startups are also leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to take on the battle against cancer.  Additionally, the CMMI Centre of excellence also utilized artificial intelligence extensively in use-cases such as; Predictive models for ships, for optimizing fuel consumption, predicting port congestion and improving estimated arrival times, improving efficiency and situational awareness of marine robots and autonomous sensing units through target tracking and robotic asset coordination.  AI is already used in various use cases in the financial services industry to prevent fraud and enhance customer experience while it is also making its entry steps in the education sector via robotics for kids and generative AI introduction for educators.  We want to see more of the research results and capabilities produced by research organizations flowing towards the market, and relentlessly support the innovation ecosystem in its path pursuing commercialization. The Research and Innovation Foundation offers an array of funding programmes that support this objective.

  1. How does Cyprus plan to use AI and robotics in advancing its green transition and sustainability goals?

Both the Digital and Green Transition are strategic priorities for the European Commission, and therefore Cyprus. In line with its long-term strategy of “Vision 2035” the Government is implementing reforms and investments within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and Programme “THALIA 2021-2027”, These are backed by an action plan for 2023-2024 that emphasizes digital transformation initiatives, backed by a €230m budget.

We want to build a stronger and greener economy through digitalization and innovation. Among the key drivers in this direction is the adoption of advanced technologies that help us build a new model for sustainable growth. We aspire to have a thriving and more resilient economy with high levels of productivity, enhanced competitiveness at international level and make Cyprus one of the preferred places to live, work, and do business.

To achieve the above, a series of projects are currently underway in Cyprus, targeting the minimisation of the negative impact of climate change and the creation of more sustainable living conditions. To name but a few, the KIOS and the CMMI Centres of Excellence are based in Cyprus and are co-funded by the European Commission. The KIOS Centre of Excellence is already making strides in the fields of supervision, control and security of critical infrastructures, pioneering in the conduct of multidisciplinary research that touches upon climate change issues. KIOS is an integral member of the SOLAR-ERA.NET European network of national and regional funding organisations and RTD and innovation programmes in the field of solar electricity generation. As for the CMMI/MaRITeC-X project, it aims at the creation of innovative solutions in the maritime sector, based on the use of smart meters and infrastructure. The project’s objective is to develop a scientific and business centre of excellence in marine and maritime activities that will focus on the climate and the environment, among others. The use of AI will be a key tool in research projects funded by this centre.

  1. AI Integration in Startups: How are startups in Cyprus leveraging AI technologies to drive innovation and enhance their products or services?

Unlocking the full potential of our research system is crucial for driving future growth and seamlessly integrating it into our national economy. Our national Research and Innovation (R&I) strategy plays a vital role in this by supporting the creation and growth of startups that can expand and make waves in international markets. A main goal of our Research and Innovation Strategy 2024-2026 is to strengthen the startup ecosystem, among other important objectives. The potential of our ecosystem in digital technologies is evident, especially with the increased participation in programs offered by the Research and Innovation Foundation. We’ve seen a notable rise in proposals focused on artificial intelligence-based solutions, highlighting the transformative capabilities of this technology across different industries. Many startups we’ve backed have embraced these cutting-edge technologies, showing how they can reshape traditional business models. Additionally, the Horizon Europe program provides significant opportunities for local enterprises to compete at a European and even global level. We’re closely watching the progress of local enterprises in international competitions and are eager to support them in leveraging the resources available through Horizon Europe to drive further innovation and competitiveness.

Meanwhile, a number of Cyprus-based companies, have been able to break into the international market. One such example is Omilia, a machine-learning company that has been able to secure millions of dollars in venture capital funding for the purpose of expanding its AI technology, built for the customer care needs of global enterprises. Other startups have been able to use AI as the primary feature of their internationally appraised products. For example, iQ3Solar; a startup that received funding through the “Pre-Seed” programme, designed by the Research and Innovation Foundation. Catalink is another bright example, a small-medium enterprise that has been able to streamline its production of innovative, data-driven & data-intensive, ICT-based products and solutions using AI. Cellock is yet another small medium business whose operations revolve around data analysis and AI to serve clients such as advertising agencies, telecommunication operators, airlines and shipping companies.

All these examples along with the fact that the local ecosystem is home to more than 400 start-ups and scale-ups, more than 140 tech companies, 2,500+ researchers and more than 4,000 entrepreneurs, prove that Cyprus has taken major steps towards becoming a regional tech hub and a standout destination for doing business, offering great growth prospects. It possesses all the necessary attributes to advance even further and I am confident that the strategies applied as well as the country’s talent and tech-savvy workforce, will empower the economy, contribute to social welfare and create new opportunities for the younger generations of Cyprus, helping the country in its pursuit for a bright and sustainable future.