site.btaCabinet Representatives, INSAIT Leadership Discuss Expanding Partnership to Develop High Value-added Economy

Prime Minister Rumen Radev held a meeting at the Council of Ministers with Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) founder and Scientific Director Martin Vechev and Executive Director Borislav Petrov, the Government's press office announced on Monday.

The participants discussed several key topics, including promoting scientific and applied research that creates high added value for the economy, as well as attracting and retaining highly qualified specialists.

Research in high technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as advancement of robotics research, were among the priority areas highlighted by the Prime Minister as strategically important for the country. He emphasized that Bulgaria must not fall behind in the rapidly evolving technological world, as this is a fundamental advantage for the country's long-term economic development.

Over the four years since its establishment, INSAIT has attracted world-class scientists across all areas of high technology, artificial intelligence deployment, and the development of language models, Vechev noted. Other research areas pursued by INSAIT include robotics, information security and cryptography, quantum computing, and machine learning.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Economy, Investment and Industry Minister Alexander Poulev, Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov, Education Minister Georgi Valchev, and Innovation and Digital Transformation Minister Ivan Vasilev.

INSAIT, located in Sofia, is the first of its kind in Eastern Europe to offer world-class research facilities and conditions. INSAIT was founded in April 2022, in partnership with Switzerland's ETH Zurich and EPFL, two of the world's best technical universities, and is closely advised and supervised by top academics from some of the most elite US, European, and Israeli universities and research labs. INSAIT is also generously supported by donations from Google, Amazon Web Services, DeepMind, SiteGround, VMware as well as many tech entrepreneurs. INSAIT's sole focus is on scientific excellence: conducting world-class research, attracting outstanding international scientists, and training the next-generation of graduate students and technology leaders. INSAIT is structured as a special unit of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, with its own regulations and governing boards.