Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
Boson AI’s Toronto office grows faster than its Silicon Valley headquarters
Boson AI is expanding its Toronto office faster than its Silicon Valley headquarters as it develops voice AI models.
The company has about 40 staff, with approximately 20 based in Toronto.
It chose Toronto for access to computing power, skilled workers and predictability as it builds foundation models to power voice agents.
Boson gets most of its computing power from an eStruxture data centre in Barrie, Ontario, and sources interns from the University of Toronto.
The company says hiring AI workers from abroad is easier in Canada, while US immigration restrictions have made hiring more difficult there.
Boson also says its Canadian operations have helped it avoid tariffs and obtain some equipment at lower cost.
Its Toronto team is growing faster than its Santa Clara team, though no further plans are stated.
Boson AI’s Toronto office is growing faster than its Santa Clara headquarters, CEO Alex Smola told BetaKit.
The AI research lab has about 20 of its 40 staff in Toronto.
The company chose Toronto for access to computing power, talent and a more predictable business environment.
Boson has bought most of its computing power from eStruxture’s data centre in Barrie, Ontario.
The company has raised $70 million USD to compete in the voice AI model market.
- Who
- Boson AI, an AI research lab co-founded by CEO Alex Smola.
- What
- Its Toronto office is growing faster than its Santa Clara headquarters.
- When
- The company has built its Canadian presence since late 2023.
- Where
- Toronto, Canada, and Santa Clara, California.
- Why
- Boson sought access to computing power, talent and greater predictability.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Alex Smola co-launched Boson AI.
Boson began building a presence in Canada.
Boson decided it was prudent to develop a Plan B in case doing business in the US became more difficult.
The company has opened a Toronto office and begun buying most of its computing power from eStruxture’s Barrie data centre.
- Toronto staff
- Approximately 20 of Boson AI’s 40 staff
- Canadian presence
- Under development since late 2023
- Computing provider
- eStruxture
- Data centre
- Barrie, Ontario
- Funding
- $70 million USD ($98 million CAD)
What people are saying
Canada has been a lot more predictable
This is starting to become a real issue in the US
massive
will not last forever