NCC Slovenia/Arctur d.o.o led and CASTIEL supported Task Force HPC4SME that successfully mobilised 17 NCCs within EuroCC2 footprint, in joint effort to upgrade HPC4SME Automated Assessment Tool for evaluation of Cloud HPC readiness of the European companies.
Task Force activities were focused on content update (questions, answers, info fields, report, translation), fine tuning of MADM (Multi- Attribute Decision -Making Model), beta testing with SMEs and service upgrade to the new AAT system.
The enhanced HPC4SME Tool was formally introduced during CASTIEL webinar for the Industry Working Group by Arctur team, focusing on SME’s evaluation benefits and supporting activities on NCCs market intelligence, competence mapping and industry steering process.
HPC4SME Automated Assessment Tool is already available at NCC Montenegro website https://eurocc.udg.edu.me/hpc4sme-assessment-tool/, providing an opportunity for Montenegrin companies to discover IF and HOW they can benefit from supercomputing services.
In the previous period, as part of the AI4S3 project, which is supported by Innovation fund of Montenegro, numerous lectures on the application of artificial intelligence in S3 areas were organized at the UDG:
Python programming: Our participants went through a thorough training in Python, starting with the basics of the programming language, all the way to advanced topics. Through homework, our participants demonstrated a high understanding and application of Python in various scenarios. This was the first step towards strengthening their programming expertise.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI): this module was a journey through the world of artificial intelligence. We started with the historical development of the technology, exploring how machine learning and deep learning algorithms have evolved over time. In the pyTorch and TensorFlow suite, we developed some basic deep learning models. We focused especially on neural networks, explaining their mathematical and technical foundations. Participants gained a thorough understanding of the technologies that shape our world.
AI in S3 priority areas: this segment was extremely important because the basic idea of this training is precisely the application of new technologies. Innovative projects developed by our lecturers, specifically focused on the application of AI in S3 areas, were presented. This gave participants an insight into the practical application of AI in the real world. Also, we dealt with ethical issues and challenges in the development of AI models, encouraging participants to think critically about the impact of technology on society.
The training included Python basis, introduction to AI and ML, applications in S3 domains
With over 50 participants from various academic and industrial circles, our training has become a meeting place for different perspectives and innovations. By the end of this training, two more modules are planned, namely The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Computer Vision and Tools and Libraries for AI Model Development. At the very end, training participants will present their projects, which they will develop in teams in cooperation with mentors. This training is a continuation of previous NCC Montenegro and Open Mind Academy efforts.
Mr Stevan Cakic, AI4S3 project coordinatorOver 50 trainees from various academic and industrial sector Participant will be trained and metored to implement their own hands on projectsThe course included cross-collaboration and presentations of practical use cases
The Executive Office of American Chamber of Commerce and National Competence Centre for High Performance Computing Montenegro, organized joint workshop on innovative supercomputing technologies and applications on November 17th 2023 at University of Donja Gorica.
The AmCham member companies from various industry domains were greeted by Marko Mirocevic, AmCham Executive Director and Milica Vukotic, Dean of the Faculty for Information Systems and Technologies, emphasizing the importance digital acceleration and EuroCC2/Digital Europe project opportunities for enhancing industry innovations and competitiveness.
Representative of NCC Montenegro for industry cooperation, Sanja Nikolic introduced technical aspects and commercial applications of HPC systems, underlining transformative and innovative potential for the industry driven by integration of computational power (HPC/HPDA) and intelligent algorithms (AI/ML/DL). She also elaborated on EuroHPC supercomputing resources and access opportunities, as well as on possibilities for MNE companies to assess their HPC/AI readiness through HPC4SME self-evaluation tool (https://eurocc.udg.edu.me/hpc4sme-assessment-tool).
Representative of NCC Montenegro for service development, Luka Filipovic, presented new AI Master program and training courses, including Parallel Programing and Deep Learning, for enhancing HPC/AI skills, as well as other NCC services related to technical expertise, projects consultancy and preparation of use-cases for industry, academia and public sector. HPC/AI success stories in the areas of smart solutions for poultry farms, precise weather forecast in challenging topography of Montenegro, short-term predictive pricing in energy markets and personalized banking solutions, were presented in the constructive dialogues supported atmosphere.
AmCham members discussed challenges related to deploying AI models, issues with data availability and potential industry use-cases.
The joint event was great opportunity to promote supercomputing resources, applications and benefits available to Montenegrin companies, and to enhance industry interaction especially with the strategically aware and operationally proficient companies, to fully embrace future-proof technologies.
NCC Montenegro representatives Sanja Nikolic and Luka Filipovic gave a presentation for to the attendees of AI4S3.ME courses. The presentation covered the potential of using HPC/HPDA/AI technologies, advantages of utilizing distributed resources, the EuroHPC supercomputing opportunities, EuroCC2 project, NCC Montenegro activities and results.
Within the scope of focused communication and productive industry interactions, NCC Montenegro is organizing joint workshop with business association AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce) on 17.11.2023. Industry workshop will provide Montenegrin companies with:
Brief introduction to HPC systems, technologies, applications and benefits,
Presentation on HPC success stories and best practices from various industries,
Demonstration of the HPC4SME tool to evaluate companies’ HPC readiness
Presentation of HPC activities of NCC Montenegro,
Networking opportunities and follow-up consultations with HPC experts
We believe that this workshop will increase awareness on HPC&AI opportunities, provide valuable insights and inspirational use cases to the members and partners of AmCham Montenegro, enabling them to stay updated with the latest technologies and industry trends, and to discover supercomputing power to enhance their business and competitiveness.
