Edmonton's reputation as a centre for machine learning continues to grow, leading to an even more vital and vibrant artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Recently, Global News Edmonton highlighted work with prosthetic limbs at the Bionic Limbs for Improved Natural Control (BLINC) Lab at the University of Alberta. The lab's interdisciplinary team uses artificial intelligence and reinforcement learning to build limbs that learn from the people using them, making them more efficient and easier to use.

"We're trying to imitate and replicate and understand people. A kind of AI that's more naturalistic, more on upon what an animal or person might do," Richard S. Sutton, Amii's Chief Scientific Advisor, told Global News.

The piece notes that the work at the BLINC Lab is one of many examples of Edmonton's growing AI ecosystem. Institutions like the University of Alberta and Amii have built a reputation for AI excellence in the city, which has brought attention, talent and funding to Edmonton. That's led not only to scientific breakthroughs but also to start-ups and collaborations with industry that are applying AI solutions to real-world problems.

A similar piece published by Skift highlights just how crucial that momentum is. Building a vibrant AI community is something that can't be done overnight. But when it reaches a certain point, it can create a positive loop — talented people come to the city to further AI research and adoption, and their successes lead to more attention, which then draws more people to the city. Alona Fyshe — a Fellow, Canada CIFAR AI Chair at Amii and assistant professor at the U of A — tells Skift that's where Edmonton is at right now.

"It's a remarkable place to be. We have young up-and-coming researchers, but we also have established researchers who are leaders in the field," Fyshe said. "Everyone's interested in each other's ideas, and there are many opportunities for smart people to connect with each other."