Sanctuary Cognitive Systems receives $30 million SIF Contribution from Government of Canada to help support its mission of building general-purpose robots to address labor shortages
Supervised by people, Sanctuary human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots will improve the nature of work and strengthen the economy
VANCOUVER, BC, Canada, November 30, 2022 – Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation, a company on a mission to create the world’s first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots, today announced it received a $30 million SIF (Strategic Innovation Fund) Contribution, for labor-related challenges in the economy.
The contribution comes from the Government of Canada, specifically through SIF, which supports large-scale, transformative, and collaborative projects that help position Canada to prosper in the global knowledge-based economy. SIF projects promote the long-term competitiveness of Canadian industries, clean growth, and the advancement of Canada's strategic technological advantage.
While most artificial intelligence (AI) on the market is special-purpose in nature (meaning it’s designed to perform narrow, singular tasks), Sanctuary is building human-like intelligence to power general-purpose robots that can help people overcome an endless number of challenges. Leveraging its unique heritage and breakthrough technology in AI, cognition, and robotics, Sanctuary will improve the quality of the work experience, assist humans with difficult or dangerous tasks, create new jobs, bring new opportunities to those who might be less capable of physical work, and reduce the impact of labor shortages both in Canada and around the world.
“Many labor-related challenges are outside the scope of current specialized AI and robotics technology,” said Geordie Rose, Co-Founder and CEO of Sanctuary. “We appreciate the contribution from the Government of Canada and we are working hard to make work safer, more accessible, and ultimately more productive.”
Sanctuary general-purpose robots are remotely piloted or supervised by people and will train and work alongside them. From robot pilots to supervisors operating robots in a wide range of physical environments, to people working with Sanctuary technology in simulation to help teach and train the cognitive platform so it too can also pilot the robots, there are many new jobs for people that will be created that do not exist today. Sanctuary technology will enable work to be done without putting the people who are supervising and piloting the general-purpose robots in harm's way, making work safer, more efficient, and sustainable.
“As a leading digital nation, Canada is taking ambitious steps to harness the potential of artificial intelligence. By investing in companies like Sanctuary, we are leveraging Canadian expertise in AI to develop and commercialize innovative technologies. This initiative will help maximize the economic potential of AI for Canadians and further cement our AI leadership on the global stage." — The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry — Government of Canada
Sanctuary has now received more than $100 million in funding since its founding in Vancouver, Canada in 2018. Sanctuary has assembled a variety of innovators and is actively recruiting for AI & machine learning research engineers, data scientists, software engineers, simulation experts, mechanical engineers, electronics & electrical engineers, and robotics & control engineers.
Interested parties can learn more at the official Sanctuary website.
About Sanctuary Cognitive Systems Corporation
Founded in 2018, Sanctuary AI is a Vancouver, Canada-based company. Sanctuary AI is on a mission to create the world’s first human-like intelligence in general-purpose robots that will help us work more safely, efficiently, and sustainably, helping to address the labor challenges facing many organizations today. Sanctuary AI’s growing list of customers and investors represents a wide variety of industries across Canada, the US, and other countries around the world.
Members of the Sanctuary team founded D-Wave (a pioneer in the quantum computing industry), Kindred (first use of reinforcement learning in a production robot), and the Creative Destruction Lab (pioneered a revolutionary method for the commercialization of science for the betterment of humankind). With experience at startups and technology leaders such as Amazon, HP, IBM, Microsoft, and Samsung, the team has experience launching market-defining innovations rooted in previously unsolved and deep scientific problems.
