Hyundai Motor Group said that the set up of the new AI center in Massachusetts will require a total investment of $424 million
Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics announced an investment of $424 million to establish an artificial intelligence research center in the U.S.
The Boston Dynamics AI Institute will be based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and will focus on delivering advances in the fields of AI and robotics technology.
The new facility will be run through a partnership between Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai Motor Group acquired last year. The center will be led by Boston Dynamics’ founder, Marc Raibert.
According to a release by the Hyundai Group, the new center “will work on solving the most important and difficult challenges facing the creation of advanced robots.” In order to achieve this goal, the facility aims to recruit talent across the fields of AI, robotics, computing, machine learning and engineering.
“Our mission is to create future generations of advanced robots and intelligent machines that are smarter, more agile, perceptive and safer than anything that exists today,” said Marc Raibert, executive director of Boston Dynamics AI Institute. “The unique structure of the Institute will help us create robots that are easier to use, more productive, able to perform a wider variety of tasks, and that are safer working with people.”
The institute will invest resources across the technical areas of cognitive AI, “athletic AI” and organic hardware design. In addition to developing technology with its own staff, the new center also plans to partner with universities and corporate research labs.
In addition to the institute, Hyundai Motor Group separately announced plans to establish a Global Software Center to lead development of its software capabilities and technologies and to enhance its capabilities to advance development of software defined vehicles (SDVs). The center will be established on the basis of 42dot, an autonomous driving software and mobility platform startup that Hyundai recently acquired.
In May, Hyundai announced a $5 billion investment to support its work in the fields of robotics, AI technologies, advanced air mobility and autonomous driving capability.
The Korean group sees robotics as having a key role in smart mobility solutions. Having acquired robotics developer Boston Dynamics in June 2021 in a deal valued at $1.1 billion, the company said it is committed to the growth of Boston Dynamics by expediting mass production of future products, enhancing product lineup and strengthening competitiveness.
