Vacancy: Professor in neurosymbolic Artificial Intelligence

Dear all,

DTAI (https://dtai.cs.kuleuven.be) hires a Professor in Neurosymbolic AI.
More info: https://kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60331463
Deadline: 04/09/2024

The research field of artificial intelligence (AI) has recently seen
several breakthroughs. Deep learning and large language models lead to
unprecedented possibilities. Yet purely data-driven approaches still have
their limitations. They can make very accurate predictions, but they are
very fragile: they often require enormous amounts of data, they are easy to
manipulate, they can only use existing knowledge to a limited extent, they
are not transparent, etc. There is consensus that modern AI should combine
the ability to learn and to reason. Automatic reasoning has been studied
for decades, leading to advanced methods based on more symbolic (logical
and probabilistic) knowledge. But knowledge-based systems are also limited:
manually encoding all relevant knowledge is not feasible, some knowledge
must be generated automatically. There is therefore a need for an
integrated approach that combines learning and reasoning, and that combines
subsymbolic with symbolic inference: the so-called neurosymbolic approach.
Neurosymbolic models are more suitable for enabling cognitive systems: AI
systems that combine unconscious processes with conscious processes - in
line with Kahneman's “fast and slow thinking”.

   - You will develop an internationally relevant research program in the
   field of neurosymbolic artificial intelligence, which combines symbolic and
   subsymbolic inference mechanisms in learning and reasoning.
   - Your research builds on, broadens, and is complementary to current AI
   research in the Declarative Languages and Artificial Intelligence
   department. You bridge the gap between knowledge-based and learning
   approaches.
   - You publish at the highest scientific level, obtain competitive
   research funding and supervise doctorates of an international quality
   level. You endorse the international research strategy and contribute to
   the further strengthening of DTAI's scientific reputation by taking on a
   key role in the network of scientific and international collaborations in
   the above-mentioned research domain.

Kind regards,
Anastasia