LG Electronics to establish AI lab in Canada

LG Electronics to establish an artificial intelligence research laboratory in partnership with the University of Toronto, in Canada.

The company says the new facility is an expansion of its AI research and development work in North America.

LG already has an AI lab in Silicon Valley, in the US. The company says it is a multimillion-dollar, long-term commitment. 

Dr I.P. Park, LG Electronics president and CTO, says: “AI will ultimately touch everybody’s lives, transforming the way we live, work and play.

“Early implementations of AI in connected devices today are setting the stage for tomorrow’s smart cities, smart homes, smart businesses and smart devices, all with capabilities that no one has even dreamed of yet.”

He said the North American labs and LG’s research partnership with the University of Toronto will play a key role in developing source technologies defining that future.

Under its five-year, multimillion-dollar research partnership with the University of Toronto, LG will build on its Open Platform-Open Partnership-Open Connectivity strategy to expand the AI ecosystem.

Meric Gertler, president of the University of Toronto, says: “The University of Toronto looks forward to partnering with an innovative global company like LG as our researchers continue to advance the boundaries of artificial intelligence.

“The presence of such leading, multi-national firms in our innovation ecosystem strengthens opportunities for our faculty, students and start-up companies across a whole range of disciplines.”

Dr Park says: “AI solutions based on deep learning will revolutionize how we interact with the world around us, in new seamless ways that use contextual data from things like biometrics, emotions, gestures and of course voice.”

He went on to explain the three main pillars of LG’s AI strategy: “The first is the ability to evolve with time, so the more you use our products, the better they evolve to meet your specific needs.

“The second is the ability to integrate AI into diverse touchpoints – to have a seamless, consistent user experience across the entire LG product portfolio, from connected appliances and TVs to connected cars and smartphones.

“The third is openness; our strategy is to provide the best AI experience for LG customers, leveraging the complementary capabilities of leading partners across the ecosystem.”