Posted April 05, 2017 08:18:25Edmonton is gearing up to get an artificial intelligence (AI) experiment going in January.
The city has signed a $2.6 million contract with Cambridge Analytica to develop and test its software and hardware.
The project is the province’s first in-house AI program, and is the first in Canada to have an in-person assessment of whether the software is safe and effective.
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with Cambridge, the premier company in this field,” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson in a news release.
“The province has already committed over $1 billion in AI investments, and this project will add another $3 billion to our infrastructure.”
The city’s AI project will be overseen by Cambridge’s vice-president of research and development, Richard Smith.
Smith previously worked for IBM Canada and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (C-IAR).
“We look forward to seeing the results of the pilot,” said Ivesen.
“We expect to see a rapid increase in the adoption of AI technology and in the availability of new opportunities for Alberta residents and businesses.”
Edmonton’s first AI test will be held in January at the Edmonton Art Gallery.
There will be a private pilot run in Edmonton in March and the city will then take part in a public trial in 2018.
