Hyundai launches Boston Dynamics AI Institute for artificial intelligence & robotics

Hyundai Motor Group launched the Boston Dynamics AI Institute, to make advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and intelligent machines. Hyundai and Boston Dynamics will make an initial investment of more than $400 million in the new Institute led by Marc Raibert, founder of Boston Dynamics.

As a research-first organization, the Institute will work on solving the most important and difficult challenges facing the creation of advanced robots. Elite talent across AI, robotics, computing, machine learning and engineering will develop technology for robots and use it to advance their capabilities and usefulness. The Institute’s culture is designed to combine the best features of university research labs with those of corporate development labs while working in four core technical areas: cognitive AI, athletic AI, organic hardware design as well as ethics and policy.

“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, top talent focused on fundamental solutions with sustained funding and excellent technical support, 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.”

To achieve such advances, the Institute will invest resources across the technical areas of cognitive AI, athletic AI, and organic hardware design, with each discipline contributing to progress in advanced machine capabilities. In addition to developing technology with its own staff, the Institute plans to partner with universities and corporate research labs.

The Institute will be headquartered in the heart of the Kendall Square research community in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Institute plans to hire AI and robotics researchers, software and hardware engineers, and technicians at all levels.

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 based on 42dot, an autonomous driving software and mobility platform startup recently acquired by the Group.