New Artificial Intelligence Research Institute Launched in Toronto to Anchor Canada as a Global Economic Supercluster

Vector Institute Aims to Produce World's Largest Number of Deep Learning AI Graduates

TORONTO, March 30, 2017 /CNW/ - Vector Institute, a new independent research facility for artificial intelligence (AI), opened its doors at the MaRS Discovery District in downtown Toronto today with the aim of producing, attracting and retaining the finest talent in the world as part of a Canadian-rooted economic supercluster that will generate future discovery, opportunity, jobs and growth. 

Vector will be dedicated to cutting-edge exploration of AI, specializing in the transformative fields of deep learning and machine learning. Collaborating with academic institutions, incubators, accelerators, start-ups, scale-ups and established companies, it will advance AI research and drive the adoption and commercialization of AI technologies across Canada.

"The Vector Institute is an unprecedented answer to an unprecedented opportunity and represents an exceptional partnership between independent researchers, academic institutions, government, private industry and entrepreneurs," said Ed Clark, Chair of the Vector Institute Board of Directors. "The Vector Institute will confirm Canada's world-leading position in the field of deep learning artificial intelligence. Consequently, it will spur economic growth in Canada by attracting talent and investment, supporting scale-up firms and enabling established firms to be best-in-class adopters of artificial intelligence." 

Vector intends to produce more masters, applied masters, PhDs and post-doctoral graduates in deep learning and machine learning AI than any other institution in the world, attracting top talent, investment, and researchers from around the world and contributing to a more vibrant start-up and spin-off ecosystem.

Its founding scientists, including world-renowned researcher Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, are affiliated with the University of Toronto. Vector is also actively engaging with other universities across Ontario and Canada to attract, train and keep the world's best minds in Canada. It serves as a key pillar to a pan-Canadian AI leadership strategy.

"The opportunities for new discoveries in the field of deep learning are very exciting, and the applications are endless," said Hinton, who will serve as Vector's Chief Scientific Advisor. "Now is the time for us to lead the research and shape the future of this field, putting neural network technologies to work in ways that will improve health care, strengthen our economy and unlock new fields of scientific advancement. And with the Vector Institute collaborating with institutes in Montreal and Edmonton we can do that here in Canada."

Vector Institute launches with a substantial partnership between government and industry. The Province of Ontario has committed $50 million to support the Institute. In addition, as part of the Government of Canada's $125 million Pan-Canadian AI Strategy announced in the 2017 budget, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) will work with the Vector Institute - a key partner in the initiative - to support the core activities of the Institute, the Canada CIFAR Chairs in AI Science, graduate training, and the participation of the Chairs and trainees in national AI activities.

In addition, more than 30 companies have committed a combined total of over $80 million over ten years to support the Vector Institute, reflecting the transformational potential of deep learning and machine learning in fields as diverse as health care, finance, insurance, education, retail, advanced manufacturing, construction and transportation.

To learn more about Vector Institute, visit: vectorinstitute.ai
Twitter: @vectorinst

For additional information, contact:
Cathy Mallove
416-822-5169
[email protected]

Vector Institute
MaRS Centre, Heritage Building
101 College Street, Suite HL30B
Toronto, ON M5G 1L7

About Vector Institute – Backgrounder

The Vector Institute is an independent, non-profit research institution dedicated to the transformative field of artificial intelligence, excelling in machine and deep learning – an area of scientific, academic, and commercial endeavour that will shape our world over the next generation.

Collaborating with Ontario's academic institutions, other institutes across Canada and companies in every sector of the economy, we will conduct research and drive the adoption and commercialization of AI technologies across Canada.  Our goals are to: 1) be a world-leading centre for AI research; 2) graduate the most deep learning and machine-learning PhDs and masters students globally; and 3) become the engine for an AI super cluster that drives the economy of Toronto, Ontario and Canada. Over the next few years it is expected that Vector will grow to include approximately 400 researchers, faculty, students, engineers and others.

Launched in March 2017 with generous support from the Government of Canada, Government of Ontario, and private industry, and in partnership with the University of Toronto and others, Vector represents an unprecedented answer to an unprecedented opportunity:  the transformative potential of AI in fields as diverse as health care, finance, insurance, education, retail, advanced manufacturing, construction and transportation.

The inaugural sponsors of the Vector Institute reflect a highly diverse range of companies of all sizes and sectors:

Platinum: $5 million commitment

• Accenture
• BMO Financial Group [FR: BMO Groupe financier]
• Google
• Loblaws Companies Limited
• Magna International
• NVIDIA
• RBC
• Scotiabank [FR: Banque Scotia]
• Shopify Inc.
• TD Bank Group [FR: Le Group Banque TD]
• Thomson Reuters

Gold: $2.5 million commitment

• Air Canada
• CIBC
• Deloitte
• EY
• Georgian Partners
• Intact Financial Corporation [FR: Intact Corporation financière]
• KPMG
• Manulife
• PwC Canada
• Sun Life Financial [FR: Financière Sun Life]
• TELUS

Silver: $500,000 commitment

• EllisDon Corporation
• Linamar Corporation

Bronze: Renewable $20,000/year commitment

• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
• Clearpath
• Deep Genomics
• FreshBooks
• Helpful.com
• integrate.ai
• Layer 6 AI
• Thalmic Labs

Vector Institute is governed by a highly accomplished volunteer Board of Directors drawn from the private sector, public sector, academic and research communities:

• Ed Clark (Chair)
• Scott Bonham
• Vivek Goel
• Mary Jo Haddad
• Chaviva Hosek
• Jordan Jacobs
• Stephen Lake
• Nadir Mohamed
• Michael Serbinis
• Pearl Sullivan
• Terrence Sullivan
• Shivon Zilis

SOURCE Vector Institute

visit us at www.vectorinstitute.ai or email [email protected]