Facebook opens an AI lab in Montreal

Facebook is opening another AI research lab as it looks to expand its artificial intelligence capabilities.

The company’s fourth dedicated AI lab is following the footsteps of Google and Microsoft by being located in Montreal, Canada.

The lab, which will initially number just ten employees, plus interns, should rise to 30 in a couple of years, will be led by Joelle Pineau, an associate professor at Montreal’s McGill University. Pineau will keep her academic position.

New AI researchers are to be recruited locally in Montreal, among others at the Canadian universities, which have a good reputation in the field of artificial intelligence. According to Facebook’s AI research leader Yann LeCun, the Canadian AI ecosystem is growing rapidly in Montreal.

Besides Facebook, Google is also running an AI lab in Montreal . In addition , Microsoft bought the start-up Maluuba, which is specialized in artificial intelligence, at the beginning of the year.

Facebook is also investing nearly $ 6 million in AI research at McGill University and in affiliated institutions. Among other things, the money will be used to expand the technical infrastructure.

According to laboratory director Joelle Pineau, the task of the new research unit is to explore the next generation of AI technology, especially in the fields of visual (computer vision), language (natural language) and video analysis.

Facebook also needs artificial intelligence to better control and sort the flood of content in the in-house message stream. Most recently, the company has repeatedly come under criticism, because politically and socially questionable content was published uncontrolled on the platform.