Developing AI on par with humans is the goal of a new AI research institution that Huawei has endowed with $4.8 million from the University of Alberta.
With a generous donation of $4.8 million from Huawei, a Chinese telecom giant, the University of Alberta has announced the launch of the Openmind Research Institute (ORI). The Globe and Mail broke the news of this groundbreaking partnership, which will put the University at the front of artificial intelligence research.
Renowned computer science professor Richard Sutton heads up the ORI, which is working to improve AI skills to a human level. The Alberta Plan, a 12-step strategy that Sutton co-authored, serves as its basis. The institution, which is set to debut in Edmonton on November 24, will be a center for cutting-edge artificial intelligence research.
Worries over the nation’s security have recently escalated, setting the stage for this partnership. Canada and its Five Eyes intelligence partners restricted Huawei’s involvement in establishing their 5G networks in 2022. The reason given was the company’s strong links to the Chinese military. The fact that Ren Zhengfei, Huawei’s founder, has ties to the People’s Liberation Army just adds gasoline to the fire.
Similar worries have prompted the US to take action to restrict Huawei’s role in its telecom network. Pentagon officials said in 2020 that the Chinese military supported 20 different businesses, including Huawei. In light of these changes, university collaborations with companies like Huawei are under more examination than ever before, particularly in domains of technology crucial to national security.
The foundation of ORI highlights the intricate relationship between scholarly endeavors and geopolitical conflicts. Professor Randy Goebel of the University of Alberta and a board member of Openmind has slammed the United States for its double-standard approach to security issues. His remarks are representative of a larger discussion over the validity of academic partnerships in light of current political climates throughout the world.
There are other worries than safety. Human rights breaches associated with Huawei have been brought up by detractors, including Canadian government officials. Some have speculated that the corporation had a hand in creating and marketing weapons used against China’s Uyghur and other minority populations.
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