AMII to get a piece of Google’s $2.7 million pie

Welcome to this week's Sunday Briefing. In this issue, read about funding from Google Canada, plus 6 other stories you may have missed. Have a great day. We'll see you again on Wednesday.

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AMII to get a piece of Google’s $2.7 million pie

Funding for Alberta technology and innovation just keeps coming. Last week, Google Canada announced that the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) would be one of three organizations to receive a portion of $2.7 million in grant funding to support AI research in areas such as sustainability and the responsible development of AI.

Google.org's grant to Amii will support its Autonomous Drinking Water project, which enables the deployment of modular water treatment systems into underserved regions using reinforcement learning. While this project aims to support underserved communities in Canada, the insights learned will help reduce the overall water treatment energy use globally through automation driven optimization.

"This is an incredible opportunity to tackle water quality issues by delving into autonomous systems research," said Cam Linke, CEO of Amii. "By tapping into our reinforcement learning expertise, we're making significant strides in boosting the efficiency and reliability of water purification. Collaborating with communities to critically examine potential solutions, the assumptions behind them and their possible effects is an incredibly important part of this work serving rural and remote areas. We're deeply grateful for the support from Google.org, which has been essential in bringing our vision to life." 

Google.org also rewarded the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Center of Expertise in Montreal on AI.

🤝 Funding, Deals, and Partnerships

• OligomicsTx wins at Startup TNT summit finale. The Life Sciences Investment Summit portion of Startup TNT’s three sector summit finales took place at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute. Taproot Edmonton

• Alberta gains on Québec in venture activity. Deal activity in Alberta shot up from nearly 11 per cent in 2022 to 17.5 per cent last year, gaining three years in a row. Betakit

SPONSORED BY FORESIGHT

Nominate a Cleantech Superstar for the Alberta Cleantech Awards!

Do you know an Alberta-based cleantech champion who’s helping lead the way to net zero? Nominate them (or yourself) by April 19. 

Supported by Bonsai Growth and Fasken.

📰 Need To Know

• With help from AI, Symend tries a gentler approach to debt collection. With high interest rates and rising living costs pushing more consumers into delinquency, Calgary entrepreneur Hanif Joshaghani wants to harness the “analytic horsepower” of AI to ensure businesses are getting paid. The Logic

• University of Alberta joins NATO network to develop military, civilian technologies. The U of A is among 13 test centres and two accelerators in Canada added to NATO DIANA’s roster of partners. Edmonton Journal

• Alberta working on its first regulations governing artificial intelligence. Privacy commissioner says AI laws needed to protect people from harm. CBC News

• Opinion: Alberta’s electricity future is bright — if we work together. Reducing emissions and increasing the affordable supply of net-zero electricity are table stakes in decarbonizing the global economy. Calgary Herald