Sony has invested an undisclosed sum in artificial intelligence start-up Cogitai. Founded a year ago, Cogitai focuses on technology that allows machines to learn continually and autonomously from interaction in the real world.
The latest investment comes from Sony as it struggling to garner revenue from its smartphone business. Major tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft are already investing large sums in artificial intelligence. As a result of the acquisition, Sony plans to release a product or service derived from collaboration with Cogitai as early as next year.
Dr. Mark Ring, CEO of Cogitai said,
Our continual-learning technology will allow computer systems to build knowledge and skills simply through interacting with the world around them. Simple knowledge and skills gained through early experience will allow development of more complex knowledge and skills in a powerful cycle of never-ending self-improvement. Though this ambition has always been one of the major goals of AI, it has never been considered feasible in the near term by those knowledgeable in the field, but our team believes it sees a path toward this dream.
Toshimoto Mitomo, Corporate Executive in charge of Intellectual Property and Mid-to-Long Term Business Development of Sony Corporation said,
As strategic investors, we believe that continual learning is the core of future AI. We are deeply aware of how previous claims in AI have failed to pan out, but we believe that Cogitai has assembled the people and tools necessary to make rapid progress toward real, continual learning AI and to harness this technology for the betterment of society through innovative commercial applications.