OBVIA and IID become academic members of IVADO

Montréal, February 24, 2022 – The Institute Intelligence and Data (IID) of Université Laval and the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology (known by its French acronym OBVIA) have officially become academic members of the Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO). In the process, these three organizations have strengthened their already close ties so as to maximize their impact across Québec and beyond.

IVADO, the IID and OBVIA share a common commitment to helping ensure a digital transition that is ethical, equitable, diverse and inclusive, by fostering dialogue among universities, industry players, the government and citizens.

To that end, the three organizations have previously worked together on many occasions on projects dedicated to the development of responsible artificial intelligence. The arrival of OBVIA and IID as, respectively, the eighth and ninth IVADO academic members is therefore in a spirit of continuity and consolidation.

Working jointly toward development of a sustainable AI ecosystem, IVADO’s academic members play active roles in activities put forward by the Institute, including research and training.

This latest announcement is excellent news when it comes to the momentum and cohesion of the Québec AI ecosystem, since the initiatives stemming from these two new agreements will have benefits both in terms of growth in the Québec-based AI labour force and progress in fundamental and collaborative research in the field.

Specifically, the agreements will promote multidisciplinary collaborations across the communities linked to all three organizations, with their wealth of complementary expertise. This is a success factor when it comes to defining, together, innovative solutions to current challenges in healthcare, sustainable development, agriculture, climate, etc. This white paper on needs, opportunities and challenges in application of AI to the biofood sector (OBVIA, IVADO, AI Forum), and this series of webinars on digital health (IID, IVADO) are good examples of this pooling of knowledge.

This alliance also attests to the increasingly close relationship between data science and social science—one that is essential to ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion concerns are taken into account in the expansion of artificial intelligence.

ABOUT THE IID

Inaugurated in January 2020, the IID (Institute Intelligence and Data) at Université Laval brings together the driving forces of research and innovation in artificial intelligence and data valorization in the Greater Québec City area. From fundamental to applied research, including major ethical issues, IID members, collaborators and associate researchers are actively working today to develop methods, technologies and practices that will support the Québec of tomorrow.

ABOUT OBVIA

The International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technologies (OBVIA) is an open research network that brings together the expertise of 260 researchers from 18 Quebec post-secondary institutions (universities and colleges) as well as numerous national and international partners. Supported financially by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), OBVIA helps communities, organizations and society maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative effects of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.

ABOUT IVADO

IVADO was born from an initiative of the Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal in 2016. With the support of its academic, industrial and institutional ecosystem, IVADO develops cutting-edge expertise in the various fields of digital intelligence (including data science, artificial intelligence and operations research) and helps transform new scientific discoveries into concrete applications, economic opportunities and benefits for society.

Information
IID – Institut Intelligence and Data of Université Laval
Raymond Poirier
Communications Advisor
raymond.poirier@iid.ulaval.ca

OBVIA
Christine Dompierre
Communications and Events Manager and EDI Advisor
communications@observatoire-ia.ulaval.ca

IVADO
Camille Barrier
Communications Advisor – Scientific Programs
camille.barrier@ivado.ca