TELUS Digital Research Hub Unveiled at University of São Paulo

March 26, 2025 at 06:45 AM EDT

Research grant applications now open to undergraduate and postgraduate students to advance AI research and development

TELUS Digital Experience (TELUS Digital) (NYSE and TSX: TIXT), a leading global technology company deploying exceptional customer experiences, officially launched the TELUS Digital Research Hub at the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CIAAM) at the University of São Paulo (USP) on March 18. AI researchers who are either undergraduate or postgraduate students can now apply for research grants to participate in AI research, funded by TELUS Digital’s $1 million investment over three years. Interested applicants can explore available grants and submit applications through the official portal: telusdigital.com/research-hub

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The TELUS Digital Research Hub underscores the company’s commitment to develop human-centered, ethically designed, and purpose-driven advancements in AI-fueled innovation. Research may serve to enhance TELUS Digital’s generative AI platform and suite of products, Fuel iX™, which help enterprises quickly and securely scale and operate advanced GenAI applications. Grant recipients will also have access to AI models accessed through Fuel iX Core and applications such as Fuel iX Copilots.

“With the official opening of the TELUS Digital Research Hub, we’re creating a dedicated space for discovery and collaboration, where researchers can explore AI’s potential through projects with real-world impact," says Renato Vicente, Director of the TELUS Digital Research Hub. "Having taught at USP for 20 years, I’ve seen its research community, alongside CIAAM, continually contribute to AI advancements. This initiative builds on that foundation, further strengthening Brazil’s role in AI research and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. We encourage students and researchers to apply for our grants and join us in pioneering key focus areas such as AI security, the development of small language models, and enhancing AI transparency and efficiency, while ensuring AI remains responsible and ethically-driven.”

Advancing AI for a smarter future

The TELUS Digital Research Hub will focus on advancements in AI, particularly in areas that improve security, efficiency and reliability that will impact the future of customer experience. The initial research agenda is focused on the following areas:

Developing small language models: Creating specialized and localized AI solutions.
Enhancing knowledge graph integration: Improving AI factual accuracy and reliability for real-world applications.
Mitigating security risks in multimodal AI: Addressing vulnerabilities to ensure safer deployment of AI technologies.
Exploring the geometry of LLM embeddings: Refining control mechanisms to improve AI efficiency and targeted interventions.
Promoting explainability in AI systems: Making LLMs more transparent and controllable to drive trust and efficiency.
Optimizing AI efficiency: Making LLMs more sustainable and widely accessible.
Improving LLM response quality: Devising robust methods to assess AI-generated content for accuracy and relevance.

Empowering future AI leaders

A core mission of the TELUS Digital Research Hub is to cultivate the next generation of AI innovators by offering undergraduate research grants to eight students annually in hands-on AI projects, under the guidance of academic and industry mentors. Additionally, postdoctoral fellowships will be available to support early-career researchers in advancing independent AI studies. A visiting scholars program will also invite top global AI experts to USP to share knowledge and collaborate on research initiatives. As part of CIAAM at the USP, the Research Hub will also contribute to the broader mission of catalyzing AI innovation and fostering discussions on AI’s technological, economic, and social impact.

“Building on our company’s existing Digital Centers in Guatemala and India, we now have a dedicated, world-class research facility that taps into fresh, diverse perspectives to drive AI innovation,” said Bret Kinsella, General Manager, Fuel iX at TELUS Digital. “TELUS Digital delivers applied AI innovation today through implementation for our clients and through Fuel iX. Our investment in this initiative is a further commitment to supporting long-term and early-stage research today that will become the foundation of advanced features in tomorrow's AI applications.”

How to apply

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can explore research grants and apply to the TELUS Digital Research Hub through the official portal: telusdigital.com/research-hub

About TELUS Digital

TELUS Digital (NYSE & TSX: TIXT) crafts unique and enduring experiences for customers and employees, and creates future-focused digital transformations that can withstand disruption and deliver value for our clients. We are the brand behind the brands. Our global team members are both passionate ambassadors of our clients’ products and services, and visionary technology experts resolute in our pursuit to elevate their end customer journeys, solve business challenges, mitigate risks, and drive continuous innovation. Our portfolio of end-to-end, integrated capabilities include digital solutions, such as cloud solutions and AI-fueled automation, trust, safety and security services, AI & data solutions, including expertise in computer vision, and front-end digital design and consulting services. Fuel iX™ is TELUS Digital’s proprietary generative AI platform and suite of products at the heart of our innovation, helping enterprises advance their pilots to working prototypes and production at scale, quickly, securely and responsibly across multiple environments, applications and clouds.

Powered by purpose, TELUS Digital leverages technology, human ingenuity and compassion to fuel remarkable outcomes and create inclusive, thriving communities in the regions where we operate around the world. Guided by our Humanity-in-the-Loop principles, we take a responsible approach to the transformational technologies we develop and deploy by proactively considering and addressing the broader impacts of our work. Learn more at: telusdigital.com

About USP

Founded in 1934, the USP (USP) is a nationally and internationally recognized institution, thanks to the talent and dedication of its more than 5,500 professors, nearly eighty thousand students, and over 12,000 technical and administrative staff members. Since 2003, USP has been ranked among the top 200 universities in the world in major global rankings that assess the quality of higher education institutions. USP's status as a world-class university reflects the ongoing efforts of its community, which has always pursued excellence in its core activities, combined with academic, financial, and administrative autonomy—an element that has driven the institution’s advancements since 1989. In undergraduate education, USP offers 332 programs across all fields of knowledge to nearly 60,000 students in its 43 academic units, spread across eight campuses located in Bauru, Lorena, Piracicaba, Pirassununga, Ribeirão Preto, São Carlos, Santos, and São Paulo. The university's robust graduate system is a key driver of its scientific development. Its 264 graduate programs, covering all areas of knowledge, involve more than 30,000 graduate students. As a result of this strong graduate program, USP accounts for over 20% of Brazil’s scientific output. The quality of research conducted at USP is demonstrated by its highly relevant contributions across all fields of knowledge and the increasing interest in partnerships from prestigious institutions on five continents. It is also important to highlight USP's significant role in cultural dissemination and university extension.