by Nick Kolyohin
JERUSALEM, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Technion, a leading Israeli institute for technology based in the port city of Haifa in northern Israel, and Intel, a U.S. multinational corporation specialized in making computer chips, have inaugurated a new center for artificial intelligence (AI) in Israel.
Professor Shie Mannor from the Technion was appointed as the director of the new center.
"Technion is the leading university in Israel in the field of AI, and it is one of the top ten universities in the world in this field," Mannor said in an interview with Xinhua.
Intel and Technion researchers will work together to better understand how AI can make a better life for humanity and how it can be implemented in commercial products.
AI is a new way of programming and computing.
"AI is the science of making computers improve with additional data and appear smart," Mannor explained.
"In traditional programming, you have got what you programmed precisely but the machine will not exhibit behavior that wasn't pre-programmed," he added.
Mannor predicts that in the future, robots with AI will help elderly, translate languages, talk to people in human voice and manners. Computers will take some of the burdens of daily human life.
Moreover, our face will be the key to everything with perfect AI face recognition technology and the medicine will be tailor-made to each person in ten years.
Mannor sees Israel as a global power in the field of AI.
"Israel is very good at AI. China and the U.S. are the leading global powers in AI. Israel, Britain, France, and Canada follow them."
Intel and Technion have enjoyed a strong relationship through years, as generations of Technion graduates have joined Intel's development center in Haifa, which was established in 1974.
Oren Gershon, one of Technion's alumnus who joined Intel, is now the manager of Intel Israel AI Products Group.
"The Intel Technion AI Center will allow academic researchers to create real-world applications that can be applied by the industry and we need it to stay competitive as a global corporation," Gershon told Xinhua.
Intel believes that AI will be everywhere from the smallest devices to high-end servers.
Technion and Intel want more companies and researchers to join their AI center.
"Companies in different fields will bring its unique knowledge and capabilities to solve exciting problems," said Gershon.
"We have discussions with large Chinese companies and I look forward to making a formal collaboration with them. I believe it will happen," Mannor added.
The present AI still can't imitate high-level abstract thinking of human beings, according to Mannor, who defines it as "high-level strategic thinking" which computers don't have.
Many people believe that one day AI can take control and use its power against humanity, but the AI center representatives don't afraid it.
"I don't think it will happen soon, and it is not something we need to take into account right now. AI of the present time is limited for specific applications and it has nothing to do with awareness," said Gershon.
"Any technology can be used for good or bad causes, and AI will have a more positive effect on our lives than negative in my belief," said Mannor.
