Apple expanding Seattle offices focused on AI and machine learning, strengthening ties to UW for talent search

Apple is known for its secrecy when it comes to ongoing product development, but the company is operating a little different with its efforts around artificial intelligence and machine learning. Apple's director of machine learning, Carlos Guestrin, openly discussed Apple's plans to grow its engineering presence in Seattle in a new GeekWire interview. Guestrin joined Apple through the company's acquisition of AI firm Turi last fall, and now the University of Washington is naming a $1 million professorship after him to help discover and support new talent in the machine learning field: A new $1 million endowed professorship, made possible by Apple's acquisition of Seattle-based machine learning startup Turi last year, will give the University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering department a chance to attract more top talent in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. In an interview at Apple's downtown Seattle engineering office, Guestrin said it was important to him and the Turi team to support the University of Washington's computer science and engineering program, allotting the funding as part of the acquisition process. "It's another way to foster the university's development," Guestrin said.