Two recent announcements from the Brainport region are emphasizing the importance artificial intelligence and data science will play in future technologies, and focus on creating bright futures for young talent in the fields. First, Eindhoven University of Technology (TUE) has launched a first-of-its-kind degree program. Starting in September, students can enroll in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DS&AI) master. Second, High Tech Campus-based early-stage investment fund Lumo Labs disclosed it’s backing Fruitpunch AI, whose core business lies in creating a community of young AI and data science engineers focused on ethical use of the technology.
The new fully accredited TUE degree, offered by the department of mathematics and computer science, is the only engineering program in the country that combines advanced techniques and methods from both fields. Foundational courses include fundamentals of artificial intelligence, data visualization, ethics, algorithms, data mining and management, and machine learning. The main aim of the DS&AI program is to train AI engineers capable of building reliable AI systems while keeping the end-users in mind.
Fruitpunch AI offers young AI talent a challenge-based educational and assessment program before connecting them with interested suitors in the industry. “When people complete the challenges, we ascertain their skills while also learning a lot about their character by how they interact in team settings,” says CEO and founder Buster Franken. “This way we can create a fit between the people in our communities and our partner companies.”