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Kitchener-based self-driving industrial robot maker Otto Motors expands into Japan(BETAKIT)
The industrial division of Clearpath Robotics, Otto Motors produces self-driving technology and vehicles that move materials within manufacturing and warehousing facilities. Altech is a trading company that imports advanced machinery and equipment from Europe and the US to support Japanese industrial companies.
GitHub Enterprise is now free through Microsoft for Startups
“As we celebrate the 2 year anniversary of the Microsoft for Startups program, we’re excited to announce that program participants will also receive Github Enterprise Cloud credits and Microsoft PowerApps to help scale their startups.”
– Adam Nanjee, Microsoft for Startups
Facebook quietly acquired another UK AI startup and almost no one noticed(TECHCRUNCH)
TechCrunch has learned that a third U.K. acquisition quietly took place this December, seeing Facebook acquire Deeptide Ltd., the company behind Atlas ML, which is also the custodian of “Papers With Code,” the free and open resource for machine learning papers and code.
mCloud acquires technology from AirFusion(BETAKIT)
Vancouver-based mCloud, an AI-powered asset management firm, has acquired technologies from Boston-based AirFusion, which provides AI-powered visual inspection and monitoring.
Michigan computer science faculty calls for Jason Mars to take a leave of absence following Verge investigation(THEVERGE)
The faculty at the University of Michigan’s computer science and engineering department wrote a letter calling for professor Jason Mars to take a leave of absence, following an investigation from The Verge into his behavior as CEO of Clinc, an AI startup with ties to the school.
Intuition Robotics raises $36 million to bring AI companions to everyone(VENTUREBEAT)
Founded in 2015, Intuition Robotics is creating what it calls “social companion” robots and related technologies, with an initial focus on reducing loneliness and isolation in elderly people.
Class action suit against Clearview AI cites Illinois law that cost Facebook $550M(TECHCRUNCH)
Just two weeks ago Facebook settled a lawsuit alleging violations of privacy laws in Illinois (for the considerable sum of $550 million). Now controversial startup Clearview AI, which has gleefully admitted to scraping and analyzing the data of millions, is the target of a new lawsuit citing similar violations.
Emotion AI researchers say overblown claims give their work a bad name(TECHNOLOGYREVIEW)
A lack of government regulation isn’t just bad for consumers. It’s bad for the field, too.
The White House wants more AI research for less money(QZ)
The budget for fiscal year 2021 (which begins in October) would ramp up spending for AI research at DARPA (the Pentagon’s research arm) and the National Science Foundation by roughly $549 million. The budget request, which still needs to be approved by Congress, increases AI funding from $50 million to $249 million at DARPA, and from $500 million to $850 million at NSF.
The world is on the verge of something big with AI, and Canada could be a leader(FINANCIALPOST)
The US and China are so far ahead in AI and associated technologies that they won’t be caught. According to Tomi Poutanen, the objective of local academics, business leaders and governments should be establishing Canada at the head of the pack chasing the bronze medal.
