In a significant stride towards advancing artificial intelligence (AI) tools and methods with a strong emphasis on responsible AI development, the University of Toronto and LG Electronics have renewed their multimillion-dollar collaborative research agreement for an additional five years. The renewed partnership aims to build on their existing work in fundamental AI training methods, autonomous systems, healthcare, materials discovery, and robotics.
The extended collaboration will delve into pressing questions surrounding AI, including the incorporation of trustworthiness and ethics into AI frameworks, as well as the engineering of responsible AI systems. This strategic alliance reflects a commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI research and ensuring that the development of AI technologies aligns with ethical standards.
“We are proud of the transformative impact of our partnership, and we are excited to celebrate its renewal for the next five years,” said U of T President Meric Gertler at a recent event in Seoul. President Gertler highlighted the pivotal role of the collaboration in fostering innovation, collaboration, and experimentation, noting that the partnership has served as an “amazing sandbox” for exploration.
The partnership, initiated in 2018 and expanded in the subsequent year, has proven mutually beneficial, resulting in 31 projects involving 16 U of T professors and spanning two of the university’s three campuses. President Gertler mentioned that the collaboration has global significance, reaching people around the globe through LG’s headquarters in Seoul and making a difference in the daily lives of billions of people.
Kim Byoung-hoon, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice-President of LG Electronics, expressed LG’s commitment to utilizing the partnership to bring positive changes to customers’ lives with advanced AI technologies. He affirmed LG’s dedication to collaborating with research institutes and industry innovators to solidify its leadership in AI and develop efficient, safe, and reliable solutions.
The collaboration has not only facilitated technological advancements but has also provided LG researchers with opportunities to collaborate with world-class experts across diverse fields. Alex Mihailidis, U of T’s Associate Vice-President of International Partnerships, commended LG for embracing the spirit of collaboration and leveraging technical know-how and subject matter expertise to propel research beyond the confines of the lab.
With LG’s Toronto AI Lab, established in tandem with the collaboration’s inception, serving as a local window into LG’s global research and development priorities, the extended partnership is poised to continue contributing to the evolution of AI technologies and fostering a better future for all.
The collaboration is supported by investment attraction agencies Invest Ontario and Toronto Global, emphasizing the commitment of both institutions to the advancement of AI research and development.
