Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF – Federal Ministry for Education and Research) has launched a new funding initiative dedicated to Neurobiologically inspired Artificial Intelligence (AI). The call aims to identify opportunities for mutual inspiration and integration of neuroscience and AI in pilot projects. The main question the initiative aims to address is how findings from the neurosciences can influence the further development of AI systems.

Funding is provided for individual as well as joint pilot projects that explore the potential of future-oriented insights and innovations at the interface of neuroscience and AI and determine the feasibility of future research questions. The following exemplary subject areas are supported:

• Structure of biological neuronal networks, mechanisms of plasticity and possibilities for transferring findings for optimised information processing in AI systems.
• Fundamentals of energy efficiency in the transmission of information between neurons in the brain and derivation of principles for the further development of AI systems.
• Neurological foundations that enable complex cognitive abilities such as learning, planning, creativity, memory, etc in biological systems.
• Altered neuronal processes in the brain and development of innovative AI-based neuromedical approaches.

Projects should use concrete examples to show how functional principles of the brain or methods from neurosciences can be used to understand and possibly further develop AI systems. Close interdisciplinary cooperation between researchers in neuroscience, neuromedical research and AI is expected.

Eligible for funding are institutions of higher education, non-educational research institutions and commercial enterprises.

Funding is provided for a period of two to three years. Institutions of higher education and non-commercial research institutes can expect to receive full funding of eligible project expenses.

(This Bulletin article was the subject of a ResearchConnect news alert.)