TELUS Digital Research Hub Unveiled at University of São Paulo
TELUS Digital (NYSE and TSX: TIXT) has launched the TELUS Digital Research Hub at the University of São Paulo's Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CIAAM) on March 18. The initiative is backed by a $1 million investment over three years to fund AI research grants for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The Research Hub will focus on key AI advancement areas including developing small language models, enhancing knowledge graph integration, mitigating security risks in multimodal AI, and improving LLM efficiency and response quality. The program will provide research grants to eight undergraduate students annually and offer postdoctoral fellowships.
The initiative aims to enhance TELUS Digital's generative AI platform, Fuel iX™, while grant recipients will gain access to AI models through Fuel iX Core and applications. The Research Hub complements TELUS Digital's existing Digital Centers in Guatemala and India, furthering the company's commitment to AI innovation and ethical development.
TELUS Digital (NYSE e TSX: TIXT) ha lanciato il TELUS Digital Research Hub presso il Centro per l'Intelligenza Artificiale e l'Apprendimento Automatico (CIAAM) dell'Università di São Paulo il 18 marzo. L'iniziativa è supportata da un investimento di 1 milione di dollari distribuito su tre anni per finanziare borse di ricerca in IA per studenti universitari e post-laurea.
Il Research Hub si concentrerà su aree chiave di avanzamento dell'IA, tra cui lo sviluppo di modelli linguistici di piccole dimensioni, il miglioramento dell'integrazione dei grafi di conoscenza, la mitigazione dei rischi di sicurezza nell'IA multimodale e il miglioramento dell'efficienza e della qualità delle risposte dei LLM. Il programma fornirà borse di ricerca a otto studenti universitari ogni anno e offrirà borse post-dottorato.
L'iniziativa mira a potenziare la piattaforma di IA generativa di TELUS Digital, Fuel iX™, mentre i beneficiari delle borse avranno accesso a modelli di IA tramite Fuel iX Core e applicazioni. Il Research Hub completa i Centri Digitali esistenti di TELUS Digital in Guatemala e India, rafforzando l'impegno dell'azienda per l'innovazione e lo sviluppo etico dell'IA.
TELUS Digital (NYSE y TSX: TIXT) ha lanzado el TELUS Digital Research Hub en el Centro de Inteligencia Artificial y Aprendizaje Automático (CIAAM) de la Universidad de São Paulo el 18 de marzo. La iniciativa cuenta con una inversión de 1 millón de dólares durante tres años para financiar becas de investigación en IA para estudiantes de pregrado y posgrado.
El Research Hub se centrará en áreas clave de avance de la IA, incluyendo el desarrollo de modelos de lenguaje pequeños, la mejora de la integración de grafos de conocimiento, la mitigación de riesgos de seguridad en IA multimodal y la mejora de la eficiencia y calidad de respuesta de los LLM. El programa proporcionará becas de investigación a ocho estudiantes de pregrado anualmente y ofrecerá becas postdoctorales.
La iniciativa tiene como objetivo mejorar la plataforma de IA generativa de TELUS Digital, Fuel iX™, mientras que los beneficiarios de las becas tendrán acceso a modelos de IA a través de Fuel iX Core y aplicaciones. El Research Hub complementa los Centros Digitales existentes de TELUS Digital en Guatemala e India, avanzando el compromiso de la empresa con la innovación y el desarrollo ético de la IA.
TELUS Digital (NYSE 및 TSX: TIXT)는 3월 18일 상파울루 대학교 인공지능 및 기계 학습 센터(CIAAM)에 TELUS Digital Research Hub를 출범했습니다. 이 이니셔티브는 학부 및 대학원 학생들을 위한 AI 연구 보조금을 지원하기 위해 3년 동안 100만 달러의 투자를 받습니다.
Research Hub는 소형 언어 모델 개발, 지식 그래프 통합 개선, 다중 모달 AI의 보안 위험 완화, LLM 효율성 및 응답 품질 향상 등 AI 발전의 주요 분야에 집중할 것입니다. 이 프로그램은 매년 8명의 학부 학생에게 연구 보조금을 제공하고 박사후 연구원 장학금을 제공합니다.
이 이니셔티브는 TELUS Digital의 생성 AI 플랫폼인 Fuel iX™를 강화하는 것을 목표로 하며, 장학금 수혜자는 Fuel iX Core 및 애플리케이션을 통해 AI 모델에 접근할 수 있습니다. Research Hub는 과테말라와 인도에 있는 TELUS Digital의 기존 디지털 센터를 보완하며, AI 혁신 및 윤리적 개발에 대한 회사의 약속을 더욱 강화합니다.
TELUS Digital (NYSE et TSX : TIXT) a lancé le TELUS Digital Research Hub au Centre d'Intelligence Artificielle et d'Apprentissage Automatique (CIAAM) de l'Université de São Paulo le 18 mars. L'initiative est soutenue par un investissement d'un million de dollars sur trois ans pour financer des bourses de recherche en IA pour les étudiants de premier et de deuxième cycle.
Le Research Hub se concentrera sur des domaines clés d'avancement de l'IA, y compris le développement de petits modèles linguistiques, l'amélioration de l'intégration des graphes de connaissances, la réduction des risques de sécurité dans l'IA multimodale et l'amélioration de l'efficacité et de la qualité des réponses des LLM. Le programme fournira des bourses de recherche à huit étudiants de premier cycle chaque année et proposera des bourses postdoctorales.
L'initiative vise à améliorer la plateforme d'IA générative de TELUS Digital, Fuel iX™, tandis que les bénéficiaires des bourses auront accès à des modèles d'IA via Fuel iX Core et des applications. Le Research Hub complète les Centres Digitaux existants de TELUS Digital au Guatemala et en Inde, renforçant l'engagement de l'entreprise envers l'innovation en IA et le développement éthique.
TELUS Digital (NYSE und TSX: TIXT) hat am 18. März das TELUS Digital Research Hub am Zentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz und Maschinelles Lernen (CIAAM) der Universität São Paulo eröffnet. Die Initiative wird durch eine Investition von 1 Million Dollar über drei Jahre unterstützt, um Forschungsstipendien für Bachelor- und Postgraduiertenstudenten zu finanzieren.
Das Research Hub wird sich auf zentrale Bereiche des KI-Fortschritts konzentrieren, darunter die Entwicklung kleiner Sprachmodelle, die Verbesserung der Wissensgraphintegration, die Minderung von Sicherheitsrisiken in multimodaler KI und die Verbesserung der Effizienz und Qualität von LLM-Antworten. Das Programm wird jährlich acht Bachelor-Studierenden Forschungsstipendien anbieten und Postdoktorandenstipendien vergeben.
Die Initiative zielt darauf ab, die generative KI-Plattform von TELUS Digital, Fuel iX™, zu verbessern, während die Stipendiaten Zugang zu KI-Modellen über Fuel iX Core und Anwendungen erhalten. Das Research Hub ergänzt die bestehenden Digitalen Zentren von TELUS Digital in Guatemala und Indien und stärkt das Engagement des Unternehmens für KI-Innovation und ethische Entwicklung.
- Strategic $1M investment over 3 years in AI research and development
- Enhancement of existing Fuel iX™ platform capabilities
- Expansion of global presence with new research facility complementing centers in Guatemala and India
- None.
Insights
TELUS Digital's launch of a Research Hub at the University of São Paulo represents a modest but strategic investment in AI research capabilities. The
The research agenda focuses on practical AI innovations that could enhance the company's Fuel iX™ platform, particularly around small language models, knowledge graph integration, and security risk mitigation. These specialized areas address key pain points in enterprise AI adoption - factual accuracy, security, and efficiency.
While the investment won't impact near-term financials, it creates three potential long-term advantages: 1) specialized AI intellectual property that differentiates their offering, 2) a talent pipeline through the undergraduate research program, and 3) partnerships with academic AI experts who might otherwise work with competitors.
The timing aligns with growing enterprise demand for secure, efficient AI implementations over general-purpose models. By developing specialized capabilities in these areas, TELUS Digital is positioning for the next phase of AI adoption where practical business applications and responsible implementation will likely overshadow general AI capabilities.
Research grant applications now open to undergraduate and postgraduate students to advance AI research and development
The TELUS Digital Research Hub underscores the company’s commitment to develop human-centered, ethically designed, and purpose-driven advancements in AI-fueled innovation. Research may serve to enhance TELUS Digital’s generative AI platform and suite of products, Fuel iX™, which help enterprises quickly and securely scale and operate advanced GenAI applications. Grant recipients will also have access to AI models accessed through Fuel iX Core and applications such as Fuel iX Copilots.
“With the official opening of the TELUS Digital Research Hub, we’re creating a dedicated space for discovery and collaboration, where researchers can explore AI’s potential through projects with real-world impact," says Renato Vicente, Director of the TELUS Digital Research Hub. "Having taught at USP for 20 years, I’ve seen its research community, alongside CIAAM, continually contribute to AI advancements. This initiative builds on that foundation, further strengthening Brazil’s role in AI research and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. We encourage students and researchers to apply for our grants and join us in pioneering key focus areas such as AI security, the development of small language models, and enhancing AI transparency and efficiency, while ensuring AI remains responsible and ethically-driven.”
Advancing AI for a smarter future
The TELUS Digital Research Hub will focus on advancements in AI, particularly in areas that improve security, efficiency and reliability that will impact the future of customer experience. The initial research agenda is focused on the following areas:
- Developing small language models: Creating specialized and localized AI solutions.
- Enhancing knowledge graph integration: Improving AI factual accuracy and reliability for real-world applications.
- Mitigating security risks in multimodal AI: Addressing vulnerabilities to ensure safer deployment of AI technologies.
- Exploring the geometry of LLM embeddings: Refining control mechanisms to improve AI efficiency and targeted interventions.
- Promoting explainability in AI systems: Making LLMs more transparent and controllable to drive trust and efficiency.
- Optimizing AI efficiency: Making LLMs more sustainable and widely accessible.
- Improving LLM response quality: Devising robust methods to assess AI-generated content for accuracy and relevance.
Empowering future AI leaders
A core mission of the TELUS Digital Research Hub is to cultivate the next generation of AI innovators by offering undergraduate research grants to eight students annually in hands-on AI projects, under the guidance of academic and industry mentors. Additionally, postdoctoral fellowships will be available to support early-career researchers in advancing independent AI studies. A visiting scholars program will also invite top global AI experts to USP to share knowledge and collaborate on research initiatives. As part of CIAAM at the USP, the Research Hub will also contribute to the broader mission of catalyzing AI innovation and fostering discussions on AI’s technological, economic, and social impact.
“Building on our company’s existing Digital Centers in
How to apply
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can explore research grants and apply to the TELUS Digital Research Hub through the official portal: telusdigital.com/research-hub
About TELUS Digital
TELUS Digital (NYSE & TSX: TIXT) crafts unique and enduring experiences for customers and employees, and creates future-focused digital transformations that can withstand disruption and deliver value for our clients. We are the brand behind the brands. Our global team members are both passionate ambassadors of our clients’ products and services, and visionary technology experts resolute in our pursuit to elevate their end customer journeys, solve business challenges, mitigate risks, and drive continuous innovation. Our portfolio of end-to-end, integrated capabilities include digital solutions, such as cloud solutions and AI-fueled automation, trust, safety and security services, AI & data solutions, including expertise in computer vision, and front-end digital design and consulting services. Fuel iX™ is TELUS Digital’s proprietary generative AI platform and suite of products at the heart of our innovation, helping enterprises advance their pilots to working prototypes and production at scale, quickly, securely and responsibly across multiple environments, applications and clouds.
Powered by purpose, TELUS Digital leverages technology, human ingenuity and compassion to fuel remarkable outcomes and create inclusive, thriving communities in the regions where we operate around the world. Guided by our Humanity-in-the-Loop principles, we take a responsible approach to the transformational technologies we develop and deploy by proactively considering and addressing the broader impacts of our work. Learn more at: telusdigital.com
About USP
Founded in 1934, the USP (USP) is a nationally and internationally recognized institution, thanks to the talent and dedication of its more than 5,500 professors, nearly eighty thousand students, and over 12,000 technical and administrative staff members. Since 2003, USP has been ranked among the top 200 universities in the world in major global rankings that assess the quality of higher education institutions. USP's status as a world-class university reflects the ongoing efforts of its community, which has always pursued excellence in its core activities, combined with academic, financial, and administrative autonomy—an element that has driven the institution’s advancements since 1989. In undergraduate education, USP offers 332 programs across all fields of knowledge to nearly 60,000 students in its 43 academic units, spread across eight campuses located in Bauru, Lorena, Piracicaba, Pirassununga, Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos, Santos, and São Paulo. The university's robust graduate system is a key driver of its scientific development. Its 264 graduate programs, covering all areas of knowledge, involve more than 30,000 graduate students. As a result of this strong graduate program, USP accounts for over
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