2024 NSFC Special Program “Frontier Exploration in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence”

2024 NSFC Special Program “Frontier Exploration in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence”
2024年度 国家自然科学基金委员会 专项项目 “数据科学与人工智能前沿探索”

November 19, 2024

Sponsor:
National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

About:
Artificial intelligence, as a strategic technology, drives technological and industrial transformation and is essential for developing new productive capabilities. However, China faces challenges in foundational AI research, including a lack of groundbreaking achievements, high costs, data scarcity, incomplete evaluation systems, and inadequate governance and safety frameworks. To address these, the National Natural Science Foundation of China is launching the “Frontier Exploration in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence” initiative. This project focuses on advancing AI’s theoretical foundations, developing disruptive generative AI technologies, strengthening governance and safety research, fostering domestic software and hardware validation, promoting open-source ecosystem development, and accelerating AI applications to enhance China’s global competitiveness in AI.

Scientific Goals:
This initiative focuses on sustainable, efficient AI development by prioritizing green pathways, resource optimization, and frontier research. It aims to advance foundational data science theories, develop disruptive generative AI technologies, and establish reliable frameworks for AI governance and safety, strengthening China’s foundational AI research capabilities.

Funding Areas:
The program is oriented to three major directions: (1) The Data Science Foundation of Artificial Intelligence; (2) Disruptive Technologies in Generative Artificial Intelligence; (3) (3) Governance and Security of Artificial Intelligence. Each direction consists of a certain number of research topics as listed below:

1. Frontiers of artificial intelligence:
   • Structured Analysis of High-Dimensional and Complex Data Spaces
   • Efficient Synthesis of Sparse and Constrained Datasets
   • Construction of High-Reliability Datasets through Knowledge Embedding
   • Multi-Granularity Cross-Level Data Fusion and Analysis
      
2. Intelligent autonomous moving body:
   • Lightweight Optimization of Large Models for Efficient Inference at the Edge and End Devices
   • Sentiment Recognition and Cognitive Regulation in Large-Scale Models
   • Generative Models for Multimodal Hybrid Input and Output
   • World Models Driven by Data and Physics Knowledge
   • Industry-Specific Large Models Built on Novel Architectures
      
3. Intelligent decision theory and key technologies in complex manufacturing processes:
   • Evaluation of Trustworthy Human-Machine Intelligent Interaction
   • Theoretical Foundations of Intrinsic Security and Controllability in Models
   • Methods for Generative Content Recognition and Alignment with Ethical Values
      

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Funding Plan:
The funding period for this special program is 2 years. The research period in the application should be filled as “January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2026.” This program plans to fund 10-15 projects, with an average funding amount of 2-3 million RMB per project, for a total direct funding amount of 35 million RMB.

Eligibility:

1. Applicants must be a senior professional title holder and have the experience of conducting basic research projects. Postdoctoral researchers, graduate students who still pursuing degrees and the personnel without host institution are not allowed to apply;
2. This project will not count toward the total number of applications at the time of submission, but it will be included from the official receipt until the funding decision by the Natural Science Foundation of China and after funding is granted;
3. Applicants and major participants (主要参与者) can only participate in ONE project of the above 12 research directions;
4. PIs of NSFC fund programs that was awarded in 2024, with funding of 2 million RMB or more  are ineligible to apply for this project;
5. The applicant can only apply for ONE special program in the same year.
    

For more information, please log in to the NSFC system to access the full guide, or contact us for assistance.

Application:

1. Applicants should submit the application via the online system
2. Select “专项项目”(Special Program) for the category of projects to be funded in the application form, select “研究项目"(Research Projects) for the description of subcategories, and fill in “科学部综合研究项目” (Comprehensive Research Projects of the Ministry of Science) for the description of notes. For all project application code 1, select an application code under F02/F06. Applications with inaccurate or unselected choices will NOT be accepted.
3. Applicants should write their applications in accordance with the outline for special project applications. Please indicate at the beginning of the application “Frontier Exploration in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence: *** (Fill in one of the above 12 proposed funding directions)”. The application should highlight limited goals and key breakthroughs, and clearly state the contribution to achieving the overall scientific goals of this special project and solving core scientific problems.
4. If the applicant has undertaken other scientific and technology projects related to this special program, he/she should explain the differences and connections between the proposed project and other related projects in the "Research Basis and Working Conditions" section of the application.

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Important Dates: