Pablo Barceló takes over as Director of AI for the Vice-Rectorate for Digital Intelligence at UC

One of the missions of the unit you will lead will be to promote the informed and responsible use of AI in research, driving interdisciplinary initiatives on its development, impacts, and applications to address the most pressing social challenges.

Pablo Barceló, who until a few months ago was director of the Institute of Mathematical and Computational Engineering, has just been appointed to head the AI Department of the newly created Vice-Rectorate for Digital Intelligence (VRID) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. "Several top-tier universities around the world have begun to recognize the importance of structuring the impact of artificial intelligence around their teaching programs and research activities. The UC is also pioneering these issues, especially through the creation of the new Vice-Rectorate for Digital Intelligence, and has decided to take a decisive step forward by formalizing this vision through the creation of an AI Department that will serve the entire university," says the IMC professor and researcher at Millennium Institute Foundational Research on Data IMFD) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA).

The academic holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toronto (Canada) and his areas of expertise include database theory, logic for computer science, and the mathematical foundations of artificial intelligence. He has also been a member of the program committees of the most important conferences on databases and logic in computer science, such as ACM PODS, SIGMOD, ICDT, LICS, and STACS. Meanwhile, Pablo Barceló recently appeared in the prestigious ranking compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier, which lists the top 2% of the world's most cited researchers in 2024.

The VRID's AI Department, headed by Paula Aguirre, also an IMC academic, will have different areas of action. One of these will be to implement an institutional program to adapt the UC's educational model to the presence and use of artificial intelligence, which includes actions such as curriculum updates, teacher training, and the development of pedagogical tools and resources. At this point, tasks such as defining ethical guidelines and institutional policies on responsible use, academic integrity, and the protection of rights are being considered.

In addition, undergraduate and graduate curricula in critical areas must be reviewed and updated, incorporating content and skills related to AI and digital literacy, as well as training teachers in the integration of AI into tasks such as pedagogical planning and activity design.

Another area of action for the AI Directorate will be the development of digital platforms and AI tools that enhance collaboration, experimentation, and scaling of discovery and creation projects, enabling greater productivity and impact. This includes the deployment of systems that foster synergy and interdisciplinarity between internal and external teams. It also seeks to promote the informed and responsible use of AI in research and creation, driving fundamental and interdisciplinary research on its development, impacts, and applications to address the most pressing social challenges.

In terms of scientific information, the aim is to develop and consolidate digital systems and environments that facilitate the management, storage, processing, and exploitation of research and creation data. Added to this is advanced training and technical support for researchers in scientific data management and the use of AI and data science for research.

Regarding his new role in charge of the unit that will carry out these tasks, Pablo Barceló states: "I sincerely appreciate the trust placed in me by Rector Juan de la Llera and Vice Rector Paula Aguirre in entrusting me with the leadership of this initiative. I am very excited about the opportunity to contribute to UC's leadership in the responsible, creative, and transformative development of artificial intelligence in Chile and the region."

Source: IMC UC