Sony Opens $150K AI Research Award Program for Universities.

Tokyo, Japan – Sony Group Corp said it will begin accepting research proposals for the Sony Research Award Program on July 15.

The program provides funding to universities and research institutions in the United States, Canada, 17 European countries, and India.

Sony said the program supports its "Creative Entertainment Vision," a long-term goal for the next 10 years.

The program consists of two awards. The Faculty Innovation Award provides up to $100,000 for one year to principal investigators for research projects in Information Technology, Device Technology, and Entertainment, which may include artificial intelligence.

The Focused Research Award provides up to $150,000 for one year to support research on 11 themes related to AI technologies.

Sony said the themes focus on AI technologies that "unleash creators' creativity and lead to the creation of new value."

Both awards may be extended beyond one year, Sony said.

Participating European countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Sony said the program provides sponsored research funding for projects in collaboration with Sony Group research teams.

Professor Laurie Heller of Carnegie Mellon University, who received an award in 2023, said her team used machine learning and large language models to generate interpolations between environmental sounds for applications in the creative arts, sound design, and the scientific study of sound categories.

Professor Alan Marshall of the University of Liverpool, who received awards in 2022 and 2023, said the collaborations helped his group develop approaches to multi-sensory immersion, including olfactory, haptic, aural, and visual channels for what he called "the next generation metaverse."

Sony said it will continue to advance research and development through partnerships with universities and research institutions.