Boston Dynamics AI Institute Launches To Spearhead Robotics Design

If there’s one robot that’s made the headlines consistently in recent years, it’ll have to be Spot, Boston Dynamics’ robot dog. It’s gone on adventures from exploring the ruins of Pompeii, to selling art to raise funds for Ukraine, and even hunting for US$175 million worth of lost Bitcoin in wastelands.

Now, to continue spearheading the advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and intelligent machines, new owner Hyundai Motor Group has announced the opening of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute, which will see over US$400 million invested into research for the future. 

According to a statement, the institute has set it sights on “solving the most important and difficult challenges” of creating advanced robots. To achieve this, it’ll be tapping on the brightest minds from the industries of AI, robotics, computing, machine learning, and engineering.

As Hyundai puts it, this brand-new facility, located in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is designed “to combine the best features of university research labs with those of corporate development labs.” 

It will focus on four distinct technical areas, namely: cognitive AI, athletic AI, organic hardware design, and 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,” says Marc Robert, Executive Director of the 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,” he adds.

Those interested in working with the AI institute, which is looking to hire AI and robotics researchers, software and hardware engineers, and technicians of all levels, can visit this page for more details. 

Congrats to our founder, Marc Raibert, on the launch of the new Boston Dynamics AI Institute! We look forward to working with Marc and the Institute team in the years ahead. https://t.co/7JzqG3sZ0M pic.twitter.com/JMwTM9h1uR

— Boston Dynamics (@BostonDynamics) August 12, 2022

[via New Atlas and Boston Dynamics AI Institute, cover image via Boston Dynamics]