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Responding to a suggestion from Alberto MenVangelis agreed that this is a good example of a new tool that could be installed on a DIAS platform and made available through AI4EU (or vice versa). This could then be used by many new services as a building block. He mentioned as an example the existence to populate tools demand applied to this case could be the use of tools of the AIEnergy project, which is one of the ‘sister’ projects and how its datasets can be used as well for AI4Copernicus.
Geoff asked about the sustainability of the AI4EU platform as the project ends in less than 9 months time (end 2021)? How can challenge winners be confident that effort invested in installing their applications on either DIAS or AI4EU will still be supported in 1- or 2-years’ time? Vangelis explained that this is currently being studied but that the leader of AI4EU, Thales, is committed to keeping the platform running. The AI4Copernicus project will contribute to the sustainability by enriching the set of tools which are available. Research projects are expected to contribute more tools which will extend the AI4EU platform and ensure it is used by other communities. In terms of the funding to secure this, it is not yet clear, but it is foreseen to establish a foundation and more details on this will be worked out in the next few months.
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Vangelis summarised with a reminder that funds are available! The first calls will be launched in June/July with a deadline to respond by end-September. The 6 selected projects, each for up to €150k, will be launched in January 2022. Good luck to everyone!
Geoff Sawyer & Sandra Cabrera Alvarado
[1] AI4EO (ESA), AI4EO (EC), AI4EO (DLR), AI4EU (EC), AI4Copernicus (EC), AI4Copernicus (Copernicus Relay in Wallonia and Luxemburg), AI4GEO (CNES) and many more.
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