CloudWalk launches AI residency program; fintech will pay R$ 10k per month to selected fellows

CloudWalk, the global financial technology company that owns InfinitePay and Jim.com, has just launched the first edition of its artistic and research residency in artificial intelligence, which will offer R$ 10 thousand monthly grants to the three selected participants here. 

Described as “brainfunk, psychedelic, and anthropophagic” (“explode-brain, psychedelic, and anthropophagic”), the initiative will select up to three human-machine collaborative proposals that fit the lines of research Art, Cognition and Awareness and Payment Gamesthe aim is to strengthen fintech's commitment to exploring the boundaries between technology, creativity and innovation.

Inspired by the search for an artificial “El Dorado”, CloudWalk invites Brazilian researchers from any field to submit projects that break new ground in artificial intelligence.The program's proposal, according to its official website, is to “open gaps in AI's “ca negra, explore alternative paths in the latent space of AI models and test the limits of the” alignment. 

The fundamental selection criterion for the residence, aimed at researchers living in Brazil, is that the proposals are “brainfu*k”, that is, that they have the potential to cause an earthquake in the current ideas. 

According to Pedro Terra, Director of AI at CloudWalk, the program is another step in the work that has been carried out by CloudWalk in the field of Artificial Intelligence since 2019. 

“Na Cloudwalk, our journey with AI goes beyond conventional applications in the payments industry, such as fraud, credit and customer support. Our look extends to the post-AGI horizon, exploring less obvious territories such as consciousness and artificial life. I believe that the convergence between art, intelligence, consciousness and life will allow us to better understand the unfiltered nature of the latent space of language models a reality that will soon be ubiquitous. This imminent future demands a deep and multifaceted analysis. Art, in parallel with science, serves as an instrument of exploration of these new frontiers. To navigate through what is to come, we need to embrace diverse perspectives and strategies of understanding, we need to embrace it says it.

Structure

To participate, candidates must submit their proposals by the day 31 January 2025, without format restrictions.Fintech promises to evaluate each idea, privileging the selection of projects that demonstrate potential for execution and creativity.

The residency will last for three months, starting in march 2025, ending in june 2025. During this period, selected participants will be able to develop, improve or complete their projects with the support of CloudWalk. In addition to the monthly R$ 10 thousand grant, fintech will make available:

• Resources: Access to advanced software and hardware and specialized tools to make projects viable.
• Follow-up: biweekly meetings with a committee to monitor the progress of work.
• Flexibility: Possibility to conduct the surveys remotely or at the CloudWalk facilities in Sao Paulo, with access to collaborative spaces and the company's technology team.

At the end of the program, participants will present the results at an event organized by CloudWalk, with the presence of experts and guests.

Who can participate

Brazilian researchers over 18 years old, with proven experience or academic training in their areas of expertise can apply. Teams of up to three members are also accepted, provided that a principal is appointed.

Selection criteria include innovation, potential impact and alignment with the three areas of interest of the programme: Art, Cognition and Consciousness, and Pay Games.

Among the main highlights of the terms of the program:

• Each monthly scholarship will be R$ 10 mil by project selected, regardless of the number of team members.
• The intellectual property of the projects will be shared between CloudWalk and the researchers, allowing both parties to use and develop the results independently.
• Researchers can submit up to two proposals, but only one will be selected per candidate or team.

Future vision

With the residency program, CloudWalk reaffirms its commitment to not only transform payment technology, but also push the frontier of knowledge in artificial intelligence and human-machine collaborative work.