NVIDIA to open AI research lab in Toronto
Stephen Law
Automation / Robotics Electronics Engineering Supply Chain AI AI artificial intelligence The NVIDIA Toronto office.Nvidia, a global leader in visual computing technologies, has announced its plans to open an AI research lab in Toronto.
The NVIDIA Toronto office.
Nvidia recognizes Toronto as a thriving hub for AI experts, thanks in part to foundational work out of the University of Toronto and government-supported research organizations like the Vector Institute. The AI Research Lab will be led by computer scientist and University of Toronto professor Sanja Fidler. The AI facility will become the focal point of firm’s presence in the city, as NVIDIA first arrived in Toronto in 2015, leveraging our acquisition of TransGaming, a game-technology company, and currently numbers about 50.
With the new lab, Nvidia’s goal is to triple the number of AI and deep learning researchers working there by year’s end. It will be a state-of-art facility for AI talent to work in and will expand the footprint of our office by about half to accommodate the influx of talent.
AI work being done in Toronto solidifies Canada’s place as a world-leader
The NVIDIA Toronto office.
Fidler’s main research interests are deep learning and computer vision, with connections to natural language processing. While taking up the helm as director of AI research for the NVIDIA Toronto office, Fidler will continue in her role as an assistant professor in the department of computer science at the University of Toronto. The move comes as the Canadian government is touting the opening of domestic offices by top-tier tech multinationals.
“The fundamental AI work being done in Toronto is further solidifying Canada’s place as a world-leader in the field,” said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. “Our talent and innovation ecosystem make us an attractive place for companies, like NVIDIA, to grow and create well-paying jobs for Canadians,”
In 2017, NVIDIA similarly invested in a research lab with strong ties to academia, opening a robotics research lab in Seattle, led by Dieter Fox, a top roboticist and University of Washington professor. Both the Toronto and Seattle research labs are part of the 200-person strong NVIDIA Research team, which works from nearly a dozen worldwide locations and focuses on pushing the boundaries of technology in machine learning, computer vision, self-driving cars, robotics, graphics and other areas.
