Causal Discovery is desperately needed in both science and the industry, but it is largely inaccessible to non-experts. AutoCD proposes to create the first automated causal discovery software engine and explore its commercial exploitation. AutoCD will largely boost the productivity of experts as well as allow the application of causal discovery with minimal expertise. It will provide functionalities such as (a) induction of causal models and causal relations from data by automatically tuning the algorithmic causal discovery choices and their hyper-parameters, (b) inferences regarding the strength of causal effects and exploration of what-if scenarios of possible interventions. Such automation has only become recently possible due to research performed of the origin ERC named CAUSALPATH. We will work with two industrial partners, namely Gnosis Data Analysis and Huawei to validate AutoCD on real data and problems. Gnosis commercializes the JADBio product, which is a SaaS AutoML platform with obvious synergies to AutoCD. It has an expressed interest in AutoCD for a potential licensing deal (see letter of intent). AutoCD parallels the development of automated machine learning (AutoML) libraries and platforms that is growing to a $14bil industry. The project will create an MVP at TRL 5 and a business plan to commercialize the product. The research team (2 Profs, 1 Ph.D. student, 1 scientific programmer) have extensive collective experience not only inventing and designing novel causal discovery algorithms. In addition, the PI is also the co-founder of Gnosis with extensive experience in creating deep tech AutoML products and commercializing them. He will devote 70% of his research time to the project.

The proposed project aims to establish a Centre on Artificial Intelligence for Humanities and Social Sciences, under the leadership of outstanding academic Christophe Roche, at the University of Crete, in Widening country, Greece. Christophe Roche, currently a Professor of Artificial Intelligence in France, has proven research and innovation excellence, keen management skills, and extensive academic, standards and industry connections; most importantly, he has already established collaborations with the University of Crete and has committed to work with its staff to help build a leading-edge Centre of excellence, integrated in the European Research Area. The objectives set by this project align with the EU SSH and digital agenda to expand the research and innovation potential, generate new knowledge, strengthen innovation and knowledge transfer activities, create industry driven projects and build capacity through combined academic-industry training, in close collaboration with local and global industry partners, support SSH informed evidence-based AI policymaking, develop key combined digital SSH competencies and produce interdisciplinary solutions to both societal and technological AI issues. In order to achieve its objectives, the newly created Centre will attract and maintain highly talented staff and PhD students under the direction of the proposed ERA Chair holder, while at the same time boosting the digital skills of existing staff and implementing structural changes necessary in the university to achieve a world-class and sustainable hub. Research excellence in this field will allow the University of Crete to participate in, and potentially lead, Research and Innovation across the commercial, cultural and social sectors, achieving high impact outcomes for science, academia and society at large. The University of Crete has committed to undertake all measures which will support the successful implementation of the project and its sustainability.