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Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Artificial Intelligence

Apple Begins Beta Testing ‘Intelligence’ Suite in Canada

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Apple Intelligence became available through beta for the first time last month and now the tech titan’s emerging suite of AI offerings is beginning to appear in Canada. The toolkit of AI-powered features is slated to enhance everything from writing and design to smarter notifications—including Siri.

“Apple Intelligence is … integrated into the core of your iPhone, iPad, and Mac through on-device processing—so it’s aware of your personal information without collecting your personal information,” stated the Silicon Valley giant. “And with groundbreaking Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can draw on larger server-based models, running on Apple silicon, to handle more complex requests for you while protecting your privacy.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Toronto Animation Innovator Lands US$19M from a16z to Forge ‘Next Phase of Growth’

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Toronto-born Viggle AI, a startup innovating character animation through generative artificial intelligence, announced a Series A capital raise of US$19 million. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Two Small Fish and “will enable Viggle AI to continue to scale, accelerate product development, expand its team, and solidify its position as a leader in controllable video generation and AI animation.”

Viggle’s proprietary JST-1 technology is the first video-3D foundation model that’s built with a genuine understanding of physics, according to the company, enabling the creation of realistic character movements. The startup says it’s entering “a time of explosive growth.”

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Leasey, Zillow Join Forces to Make Property Management in Canada Simpler Than Ever

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Vancouver-based property management technology startup Leasey.AI announced an integration with Seattle’s Zillow. A new Zillow Direct Syndication capability enables property managers to post rental listings to Leasey’s Rental Network, which now includes Zillow’s network of rental marketplaces, with a click from their dashboard.

The feature streamlines the listing process for managers, helping ensure units reach a large audience, according to a statement. Working “in harmony with Leasey.AI’s suite of leasing support tools,” the Zillow Direct Syndication integration is designed to automate the leasing process, which can reduce the effort required to create listings, as well as increase lead conversion and improve the tenant experience.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.

Montréal’s ALL IN Going All In for Second Annual A.I. Gathering Next Month

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The second edition of ALL IN, an event dedicated to Canadian artificial intelligence, will take place in Montréal in September. ALL IN 2024 is expected to welcome over 3,000 folks from across business, tech, and AI—an attendance figure doubling last year’s inaugural showing—representing everything from startups and big companies to government and investors.

“We’re thrilled to expand the event’s scope with a greater emphasis on global engagement, attracting some of the biggest names in AI,” stated Isabelle Turcotte, Executive Director of ALL IN. “Our lineup is impressive, and we can’t wait to welcome attendees from across the globe to Canada for this major event.”

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Montreal AI Startup Emerges from Stealth with $11M Seed Round and Plans to Expand

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‍Montreal’s Reliant AI has launched out of stealth with $11 million in seed funding through a round co-led by Tola Capital and Inovia Capital. Founders Karl Moritz Hermann, Marc Bellemare, and Richard Schlegel are passionate about how generative AI can solve information challenges to reduce repetitive mental labor and accelerate decision making for enterprises.

The company says it is initially targeting the biopharma industry and that it will use the funding to hire engineering talent to expand its technology investment and footprints in North America. Reliant’s first product, Reliant Tabular, is an AI workbench that helps life science analysts find evidence for their decisions through automated systematic reviews, asset scans, and a customizable data platform. 

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

How Toronto Tech Plays an Important Role in the Global AI Industry

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Toronto is becoming a key player in the global AI chip industry for both hardware contributions as well as crucial software that powers these advanced semiconductors, a new report suggests. For example, big names like AMD, Intel, and Amazon Web Services are tapping into Toronto’s talent pool to create software that makes AI chips more efficient and competitive.

Local startups like Untether AI and Tenstorrent are also gaining ground, with teams dedicated to writing the code that controls these chips. This synergy between hardware and software is turning Toronto into a hotbed for AI chip innovation.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on The Logic.

Vancouver Taps Local Tech Firm to Enhance Water Management with AI Software

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Infinitii ai won a bid with the City of Vancouver. The Canadian firm, which offers environmental monitoring to water infrastructure utilities, will provide Vancouver with access to its “flowworks” data monitoring software. Currently, Vancouver has an archive of data from 200 flow and level monitoring locations, 38 combined sewer overflow monitoring locations, 14 rainfall monitoring locations, 23 water quality sampling locations, and two groundwater monitoring wells.

Since launching a decade ago in 2014, infinitii ai has evolved into a machine learning software firm that serves customers in major North American municipalities, including Toronto and Montreal in Canada. Last month, the company closed a private financing round led by ThreeD Capital.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.

Thomson Reuters Launches Upgraded Version of AI-Powered Virtual Assistant

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Following its quarterly earnings report, the artificial intelligence-focused Thomson Reuters launched CoCounsel 2.0, an upgraded digital assistant powered by generative AI. The second iteration of TR’s virtual assistant, which targets the legal sector, boasts enhanced capabilities thanks to additional integration of learning models and data from Google Cloud, OpenAI, and Thomson Reuters’ own proprietary assets.

“Thomson Reuters is here for one reason: to ensure our customers reliably and safely realize the greatest possible value from this generational technology—as quickly as possible,” stated David Wong, chief product officer for Thomson Reuters. “CoCounsel 2.0 is founded upon our ability to combine our data, expertise, and trusted content with cutting-edge technology.”

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Big Bank Joins Creative Destruction Lab’s Year-Long ‘Putting AI to Work’ Program

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CIBC is joining Creative Destruction Lab “Putting AI to Work” program. The Big Five Bank will be part of a cohort consisting of organizations from various sectors all focused on integrating AI across their businesses. The cohort will participate in a 12-month program designed to facilitate the development and sharing of best practices within Canada’s AI ecosystem.

“Working with Creative Destruction Lab gives CIBC a unique opportunity to work with industry leaders in furthering our approach to AI and how it can be leveraged to deliver against our client-focused strategy,” stated Dave Gillespie, Executive Vice-President of Infrastructure, Architecture and Modernization at CIBC. “This collaboration is a progressive next step in CIBC’s commitment to recognizing the transformative potential of AI.”

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Fintech.ca.

Protecting Against Quantum Threats, Scope AI Bolsters Its Suite of Security Solutions

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Scope AI, a Vancouver tech firm dedicated to advancing the field of artificial intelligence with a focus on visual recognition and neural network technology, has finalized its acquisition of QSE Technology from Ovryde Ltd., thereby fortifying its suite of quantum-resilient security solutions.

The $400,000 deal, plus 2.8 million shares, enhances Scope’s ability to protect digital assets against emerging threats. CEO James Young noted that the quantum cryptography market is projected to grow to $126 billion by 2033. This acquisition positions Scope AI at the forefront of digital security, Young believes, offering advanced encryption solutions to retail and institutional clients.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.