Google AI On Raspberry Pi? Yes Please!

Google has been working on a number of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning projects for some time. Now its looking to bring some of this technology to Raspberry Pi to help the maker community create smart devices.

While its original purpose was to provide low-cost computers to underprivileged children, the Raspberry Pi range has been embraced by the maker community. Many people have already been using Raspberry Pi computers for home-made electronics and robotics projects.

“Google’s range of AI and machine learning technology could enable makers to build even more powerful projects,” according to a blog post by the Raspberry Pi Foundation. It said Google is planning to bring some AI and machine learning tools to the Raspberry Pi platform this year but will need some directions from the maker community.

The Foundation has started a survey that would help give Google some directions as to what tools to bring to Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi Foundation founder Eben Upton told the BBC: “It’s fantastic to see Google getting closer to the maker community. I’m particularly excited about the prospect of connecting Raspberry Pi to some of the machine learning work coming out of Google DeepMind in London, allowing us to build smart devices that interact in the real world.”

Google’s subsidiary DeepMind has been working on AI technology since 2010 and was responsible for creating the AlphaGo program that ended up beating world’s top human Go player for the first time.

[Raspberry Pi Foundation via BBC]