Microsoft Expands Artificial Intelligence Footprint in Montreal

Microsoft

Microsoft has plans to double the size of its local AI research group and aswell  give the University of Montreal $6 million and McGill University $1 million over the next five years to help spur artificial-intelligence research.

The moves were announced Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Microsoft president Brad Smith; Navdeep Bain, Canada’s minister of innovation, science, and economic Development; and other officials. The news also comes just days after Microsoft announced its acquisition of Maluuba, an AI startup founded by University of Waterloo grads. That business was founded in Montreal to be close to one of its key advisors: Yoshua Bengio.

According to the Fortune, The Canadian government is also bullish on Montreal’s AI prowess. Last September, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund invested $213 million in the University of Montreal, McGill, Polytechnique Montreal, and HEC Montreal, according to the Montreal Gazette.

The funding, which will be made over seven years, is to promote research in AI and brain health.

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