Queensland’s new $5.5m AI Hub on the hunt for CEO

Queensland’s $5.5 million hub for promoting developments in artificial intelligence and lifting the state’s skills base is on the hunt for its inaugural chief executive after its virtual launch ceremony this week.

The QLD AI Hub was announced in 2018 and forms part of the government’s $755 million Advance Queensland initiative established to support businesses and attract tech talent to the sunshine state.

Innovation Minister Kate Jones said the Fortitude Valley-based hub will be essential to meeting industry’s need for professionals with AI skills, where there’s currently up to eight jobs for every qualified applicant.

The hub is backed by KPMG, the Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland, who are supported by a managing consortium of local businesses working in the AI space including Max Kelsen, IntelligHQ, KJR, 9 Points and AiKademi.

Working with the universities, the AI Hub is also expected to deliver talent development programs for students, researchers and start-ups.

The chief executive position is being advertised as a four-year posting with the aim of helping the hub become self-sustainable while pursuing additional revenues from other government and private sector sources that will contribute to its vision of industry development.

Dr Kelvin Ross, who serves as a director of the AI Consortium, said the work of the hub is already underway with researchers working on solutions to the coronavirus pandemic.

“AI researchers are investigating mechanisms to detect Covid-19, mine medical literature for diagnostics and treatments, model molecular structure of drugs and vaccines, and help with planning within our hospitals.” he said.

“AI is a fast-growing industry, expected to be worth over US$202 billion by 2026. We want a piece of that economic pie.”

Applications for the position close on 15th May.