LG steps up AI research presence in North America

Muscat: Global innovator LG Electronics (LG) is poised to define the future of artificial intelligence (AI) for consumers and businesses in the coming years with the establishment of a major AI research presence in North America, in collaboration with leaders from academia and start-up companies.
This week marks the launch of the new LG Electronics AI Research Lab in Canada, an extension of the newly-expanded LG Silicon Valley AI Lab in Santa Clara, California. Aimed at supporting LG’s vision of AI as a key future growth engine, the North American labs further enhance LG’s global research capabilities, which include AI labs in South Korea, India, and Russia.
LG is also entering into a new research partnership with the University of Toronto (UToronto), which is recognised worldwide for its AI and machine-learning expertise, particularly in the area of deep learning.
“AI will ultimately touch everybody’s lives, transforming the way we live, work and play,” said LG Electronics President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. I.P. Park.
“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 added.
He said the North American labs and LG’s research partnership with UToronto will play a key role in developing source technologies that define that future.
Under its five-year, multi-million-dollar research partnership with UToronto, LG will build on its Open Platform-Open Partnership-Open Connectivity strategy to expand the AI ecosystem. The new lab will capitalise on the expertise of researchers at the university, who will now have the opportunity to collaborate with LG’s growing US and Canadian AI research and development (R & D) teams. LG intends to complement this work by collaborating with and investing in North American start-ups.
UToronto President Meric Gertler views LG as an exciting new partner for AI research.
“The University of Toronto looks forward to partnering with an innovative global company such as LG as our researchers continue to advance the boundaries of artificial intelligence,” he said. “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.”
Park echoed Gertler’s views.
“AI solutions based on deep learning will revolutionise how we interact with the world around us, in new seamless ways that use contextual data from things such as biometrics, emotions, gestures, and, of course, voice,” he remarked.
Park 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,” he shared. “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.”