As perhaps another sign of the times, International Game Technology has announced a 5-year agreement with the McKenna Institute at the University of New Brunswick to fund the expansion of the school’s software curriculum.
IGT will fund the creation of two new faculty positions and an innovation-director role. The company will work with the university and the McKenna Institute to develop education and research opportunities around the topics of AI, data science, and gaming software and hardware platforms and automation.
“IGT’s investment in innovation will help UNB and the McKenna Institute establish New Brunswick as a national center for design in regulated gaming technologies. It will provide our students with increased opportunities to use AI and data science to develop knowledge and skills in a field that is in high demand,” said Dr. Paul Mazerolle, UNB’s president and vice-chancellor.
A statement described the McKenna Institute as committed to positioning New Brunswick as a globally competitive digital economy. It has a track record of working with businesses, academia, and government on initiatives that foster digital literacy, attracting talent to New Brunswick, support for research and development, and job creation.
IGT has relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 jurisdictions around the world, delivering gaming experiences for players from lotteries and gaming machines to sports betting and digital.
“This strategic agreement between IGT, UNB, and the McKenna Institute will fortify gaming technology, data science, and artificial intelligence platforms at UNB,” said Renato Ascoli, IGT CEO Global Gaming. “IGT’s strong commitment to New Brunswick takes an important step forward with our establishment of this significant research and educational partnership in the region. Our investment can greatly foster the development of a larger and more effectively aligned talent pipeline in gaming-related technologies.”
