In a ceremony held in Paris, a meeting was held between the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation of Chile and Inria (French National Institute for Research in Digital Sciences and Technologies), during which they signed a letter of intent in which they agreed to give continuity to Inria Chile under a bilateral cooperation approach that consolidates and strengthens the links between the scientific and technological ecosystems of both countries in terms of artificial intelligence and digital sciences.
Inria's extensive and recognized experience and leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital sciences and technologies, both in France and Europe, provides a valuable bilateral cooperation scenario for Chile in its efforts to consolidate itself as a regional leader in the development and implementation of AI.
At the meeting, the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, Aisén Etcheverry, was present on behalf of Chile, while Inria was represented by its chairman and CEO, Bruno Sportisse. Both authorities were also accompanied by the Chilean ambassador to France, Raúl Fernández; the chairman Inria Chile, Claude Puech; the director of International Relations of Inria, Cécile Vigouroux, and the director of the Inria center in Chile, Nayat Sánchez-Pi.
Verbatim
For the future, I see Inria Chile as a platform for different worlds to meet, to foster Franco-Chilean collaboration in AI and its applications within a scientific-technological ecosystem approach, and deeply committed in an agenda of public policies to enhance our actions.
Chairman and CEO of Inria
Verbatim
The meeting with Bruno Sportisse, CEO of Inria, was key in our trip to Europe. This center is not only the European leader in Artificial Intelligence but is also in charge of the national research program in artificial intelligence, within the framework of the French National Strategy. With a presence in Chile for more than ten years, the collaboration between both countries in AI is a tremendous opportunity: for Chile, France can be the gateway to Europe with its AI developments, and for France, Chile can be the gateway to Latin America.
Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation of Chile
Verbatim
This meeting is a very important step to project forward the work that Inria has been carrying out in Chile for the last 12 years in digital sciences and technologies and AI. Chile has a growing ecosystem in these topics that has been structuring in recent times. There is a special moment for the deepening of this alliance between Inria and the Ministry, so that through the connection of the ecosystems of both countries in digital sciences and technologies and artificial intelligence, we can contribute to the positioning of Chile at a regional and international level in these topics.
Director of Inria Chile
She adds, “in that sense, Inria Chile is the natural instrument, which is well integrated in the national ecosystem and will allow the operationalization of that political will. This, through the coordination of the actors of the ecosystems of both countries, facilitates a strategic relationship that involves academic research and companies."
In addition to this joint statement, and in line with what was declared between Inria and the Chilean ministry, the Minister of Higher Education and Research of France, Sylvie Retailleau, and her Chilean counterpart, Minister Aisén Etcheverry, met to express the will to strengthen cooperation between Chilean institutions and the French and European ecosystem, in particular, in the field of digital sciences and technologies and especially artificial intelligence. This cooperation plays an active role in priority areas for both countries, such as renewable energies, including green hydrogen, raw materials, the fight against climate change, biodiversity, oceans, astronomy, health, and Antarctica.
They also highlighted the long tradition of cooperation between Chile and France in the field of science, technology, and innovation, based on scientific and technological foundations that have allowed the generation of a solid and dense ecosystem of scientific and technological cooperation between Chile and France.