Sony AI announced today the opening of a new artificial intelligence (AI) research and development office in Barcelona, one of the most creative, innovative, and scientific regions in Europe. This office will be the fourth headquarters of Sony AI and will reflect the organization’s commitment to enhancing human imagination and creativity through AI.
“Barcelona has a long history of scientific, artistic, and culinary experimentation, and connections with pioneers such as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The region also hosts many research universities with established AI programs and key technology and science organizations,” said Michael Spranger, President of Sony AI. “We are proud to extend our work supporting creators to this innovative environment and to learn from and collaborate with the community.”
The new Sony AI office, located near Plaça Catalunya, will serve as a hub in the region. One of the focus areas will be the organization’s new flagship project, Scientific Discovery, led by senior research scientist Tarek Besold. This project will address AI challenges focused on tools and systems that support the work of scientists worldwide, enhancing their knowledge and creativity during the ideation phase of the scientific process, enabling them to create new hypotheses.
Additionally, the office will explore research related to gastronomy, such as the application of AI to enhance the understanding of flavors and smells, contributing to multisensory experiences. “Barcelona is a city where boundaries are pushed and ideas flourish. I am excited to see how the region’s mindset serves as a catalyst for inspiration within our organization,” said Besold.
“We look forward to collaborating with the local AI research community, working with the region’s talented scientists and engineers, and contributing to the thriving technology ecosystem.”
Roger Torrent i Ramió, Conseller d’Empresa i Treball de la Generalitat de Cataluña, expressed his enthusiasm for Sony AI’s arrival: “We celebrate that a leading multinational organization like Sony has chosen Barcelona as its first AI development center in Southern Europe. This strategic investment demonstrates that Catalonia is one of the most developed technological and scientific ecosystems in Europe. We look forward to building collaboration bridges between Sony and the local ecosystem of universities, research centers, startups, and companies to contribute to the development of artificial intelligence in Barcelona.”
Sony AI is seeking new talents to join their organization, with open positions for researchers and engineers in Barcelona. Interested individuals can find more information on Sony AI’s job page.
About Sony AI
Sony AI, a division of Sony Research, was founded on April 1, 2020, with the mission to “unleash human imagination and creativity with AI.” The organization combines cutting-edge research and development in artificial intelligence with Sony Group’s imaging and sensing technology, robotics, and entertainment assets such as movies, music, and games. Sony AI is working on six flagship projects in the areas of AI for creators, gaming and interactive agents, ethics, scientific discovery, imaging and sensing, and robotics and detection.