TAU and Google Israel Launch Three-Year Program to Advance Foundational AI Research
Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Google Israel have announced a three-year program to accelerate foundational AI research, backed by $1 million from Google.org. The effort builds on the institutions' ongoing collaboration and focuses on core technical domains: language models, algorithmic efficiency, and privacy-focused methods.
The program is led by TAU's Center for AI & Data Science, headed by Prof. Yishay Mansour of the Blavatnik School of Computer Science and AI. It will fund research grants and provide graduate scholarships, with a clear emphasis on PhD candidates working on fundamental AI questions.
Scope, Funding, and Leadership
- Core research tracks: large language models, efficient algorithms, and privacy-preserving technologies.
- Dedicated grants and scholarships for graduate students, prioritizing PhD research.
- Program leadership: Center for AI & Data Science (TAU), directed by Prof. Yishay Mansour.
The launch event at TAU brought together senior academic and industry leaders, including TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat and Google Vice President and Head of Google Research Prof. Yossi Matias. Prof. Porat underscored TAU's strategy to couple academic excellence with social impact, noting scholarships for PhD students and support for learners from Israel's social and geographic peripheries.
Education Pipeline: From Graduate Honors to Early Exposure
Beyond research funding, the initiative invests heavily in education. TAU is introducing an honors track for graduate students in AI, plus "BITS of AI" for teenagers from underserved communities in cooperation with TAU's Youth University. The goal: broaden access to advanced AI education and build a durable pipeline of future researchers.
Why This Matters for Scientists and Engineers
Prof. Yossi Matias emphasized that collaboration between academia and industry is essential, stating that "research and academic excellence are more important than ever" and that cross-disciplinary work can lead to meaningful advances. Prof. Mansour pointed to pressing challenges around large language models and privacy, signaling where the program will place scientific weight.
Google Vice President Prof. Avinatan Hassidim highlighted the long-term impact: helping "nurture Israel's next generation of researchers and developers" and contributing to complex technological problem-solving over the coming years. For researchers, this creates a focused opportunity to test ideas, validate methods, and translate breakthroughs faster.
Practical Takeaways for Researchers
- Expect calls for proposals centered on LLMs, efficiency, and privacy-preserving techniques.
- Prioritize reproducibility, rigorous evaluation, and energy/computation awareness in your designs.
- Seek cross-disciplinary partners early-link theory, systems, and policy for stronger outcomes.
- PhD candidates and advisors at TAU should watch for scholarship timelines and submission windows via the Center's channels.
For institutional details, see Tel Aviv University and Google Research.
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