The Minister of Economy and Industry, Petar Dilov, solemnly welcomed the national artificial intelligence team, which is set to defend Bulgaria's prestige in a prestigious international competition. The ceremony was dedicated to the upcoming participation of Bulgarian talents in the International Olympiad on Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), which will be held from August 2 to 9 in the Chinese capital Beijing.
Expectations are that over 60 national teams will participate, with Bulgaria having a special place in the history of this competition. It was our country that was the original initiator and organizer of the most prestigious international tournament for high school students in the field of artificial intelligence, with the first edition held last year in Burgas.
Last year's edition set a world record with the participation of 41 teams from 32 countries across all continents, which undoubtedly established Bulgaria as a leading center in scientific technological competitions. Elena Marinova, Deputy Chairperson of the Association of Olympic Teams in Natural Sciences and co-founder of IOAI, was also present at the official meeting.
During the ceremony, Minister Dilov presented the national flag to the team, emphasizing the exceptional importance of their participation. "You are the future of Bulgarian science and economy," he told the young talents. Dilov stressed that the development of artificial intelligence is one of the most dynamic areas that not only drives economic growth but also transforms the quality of life.
The National team this year consists of eight exceptional students: Reni Paskaleva, Bozhidara Puhaleva, Velislav Djelepov, Mario Petkov, Alexander Slavov, Adriana Georgieva, Damyan Dochev, and Boyan Vangelov. They represent different mathematical and specialized high schools from across the country.
The team will be led by Yoana Salambasheva and assistant Melania Berbatova from the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Sofia University. During the meeting, the young talents introduced the minister to the challenges of the upcoming tasks and shared details about their preparation.
The minister received an official invitation to visit the olympiad in Beijing and personally support the Bulgarian representatives during the international competition. This invitation symbolizes not only support for young talents but also a national commitment to the development of high technologies and scientific research.