Ontario Tech and Centre for Designing Change launch PACE Ontario physical AI centre in Oshawa
Ontario Tech University and the Centre for Designing Change have launched the Physical AI Centre of Excellence (PACE) Ontario, a new initiative anchored at Ontario Tech in Oshawa, the organizations announced Aug. 20, 2026.
The partners say the centre will focus on research, testing and training tied to what they call “physical AI,” a term they use for artificial intelligence applied in physical systems such as robotics, intelligent automation, autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing.
PACE Ontario is the first provincial hub in the Centre for Designing Change’s national PACE network, according to the joint announcement.
Under a memorandum of understanding, Ontario Tech will serve as PACE Ontario’s founding academic and research partner.
The Centre for Designing Change and Ontario Tech said their work will include collaborative research and commercialization activities, including testing, validation and knowledge exchange related to physical AI technologies.
They also said they plan to help Canadian organizations evaluate, adopt and scale physical AI technologies while maintaining human oversight.
On workforce development, the partners said PACE Ontario is intended to create experiential learning and industry-connected opportunities for both students and workers, including upskilling and reskilling.
The announcement said the initiative also aims to convene organizations working on physical AI in Canada to support collaboration and what the partners call responsible innovation.
The partners said they will explore using Ontario Tech’s ACE research and testing facility as an anchor site for future programming, technology demonstrations and collaborative research.
In a prepared statement included in the release, Ontario Tech President and Vice-Chancellor Steven Murphy said physical AI “must be developed in service to people, with human oversight and people-centred decision-making at its core.”
The Centre for Designing Change said it is a national not-for-profit and that it established the PACE network.