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Academic experts and industry leaders gather to discuss AI’s potential in BC sectors

A collaborative event hosted by UBC and SFU’s Computer Science departments sparked discussions on how to advance AI in BC’s industries 

On a Thursday evening at SFU’s Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver, conversation was buzzing and the excitement in the room was palpable. Academics from UBC Department of Computer Science and Simon Fraser University (SFU) School of Computing Science congregated with BC’s industry leaders to discuss how they can better understand the AI needs of local sectors and new ways in which they can collaborate. 

In the room of around 40 people, roundtable discussions were fueled by wine, cheese, and a shared passion for AI. The attendees consisted of computer science professors and researchers and industry leaders in diverse areas such as technology, quantum computing, apparel, gaming, film, and transportation. 

“We had an amazing turnout — everyone was engaged and excited to be there, and people didn’t want to leave at the end of the night,” says Dr. Joanna McGrenere, Co-Head and Professor at UBC’s Department of Computer Science and co-organizer of the event. “AI is becoming part of every industry, so having these discussions will help us better understand how universities can leverage our talents to meet the changing needs of BC industries and prepare our students for the workforce.” 

Many BC researchers are leaders in the AI field, with 17 faculty members holding prestigious Canada CIFAR AI Chairs. Both UBC and SFU have significant AI expertise and both have established institutes that bring together many researchers in areas overlapping with AI. UBC’s main centre for AI, Center for AI Decision-Making and Action (CAIDA), consists of 144 faculty members. At SFU, over 100 faculty members have research related to AI, including 17 faculty whose research program focuses on AI at the Visual and Interactive Computing Institute (VINCI). 

BC has also been a place where AI researchers congregate. For example, over the past few years, many premier international AI and machine learning conferences were held in Vancouver, such as the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) and the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML). This year, UBC and SFU researchers published a combined total of over 50 papers at these conferences and their associated workshops.  

“We hope to host more events like this in the future to help strengthen the connections between the academic sector and the local industry,” says Dr. Oliver Schulte, School Director and Professor and at SFU’s School of Computing Science and co-organizer of the event. “Our researchers are at the forefront of AI research and we're excited to find new ways to advance AI in our vibrant province and community.”