The Consumer Electronics Show has been the stage for many exciting announcements. Most notably, Toyota announced amazing details on the development of Toyota AI. The new Toyota Research Institute CEO took the mic to talk about the line-up of engineers joining the team to develop artificial intelligence. The new personnel is curiously surprising.
Toyota Hires Google AI Robotics Staff for Toyota AI
James Kuffner is one of the most surprising names on the Toyota AI staff list. Kuffner was the leader of the Google AI robotics program until he was recruited by Toyota. He joins the team as a leader in cloud computing for TRI. Another notable addition to the staff is Rodney Brooks, who hails from Rethink Robotics, as well as Marc Benioff from Salesforce.
Toyota is Very Serious About Home Robotics
Just last year, Toyota made the announcement that they would be investing a whopping $1 billion in research and development of AI and robotics. Their goal is to look into how to make cars safer and smarter. Not only that but they also hope to design robots that can serve as home assistants. The Toyota Research Institute has since then joined hands with Stanford and MIT. Toyota will even be opening a center between the schools. According to the company, there are as many as 30 projects under development with Stanford and MIT researchers. Toyota holds more autonomous car patents than any other company.
At the Consumer Electronics Show, TRI CEO also spoke about the institute’s mission. The mission is to create a car that is incapable of causing a crash. It also looks to increase access to vehicles for people who cannot drive, and make mobility technology for the indoors. Along those lines, they also hope to advance machine learning and the intricacies of artificial intelligence.
Toyota and IBM AI Move for the Bigger Picture
Toyota started out in the 1930s as a fabric looms manufacturer. They spotted the potential in car making and went on to make it a household name around the world. Now, the gears might shift again as Toyota sees the potential in robotics. This move could prove to be a pivotal one for the robotics and artificial intelligence as a whole.
Just today, IBM announced a partnership with UnderArmour and Softbank. Watson, the IBM AI, will be assisting UnderArmour’s fitness and health apps. One of the most notable announcements is that the partnership will introduce a feature that will allow the apps to suggest regiments to people based on their profile. Kind of like having a cybernetic nutritionist/fitness trainer. IBM AI will also be used on Softbank’s new robot, Pepper. Pepper is the Japanese company’s entry into the world of hospitality and consumer retail robotics. Powered by Watson, the Pepper will attempt to ‘understand the world the way humans do: through senses, learning and experience.’
