The National Science Foundation is investing $140 million in the development of seven new National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes, which will help the federal government advance its understanding of AI technology’s risks and opportunities.
NSF said Thursday the AI institutes will focus on several AI research areas, including promoting ethical and trustworthy AI technologies, developing novel cybersecurity approaches, enhancing education and public health, providing a better understanding of the human brain and addressing climate change.
The investment effort is part of the Biden administration’s new actions to promote responsible AI innovation in the U.S. while protecting citizens’ rights and safety.
The institutes will be led by the University of Maryland; the University of California, Santa Barbara; the University of Minnesota Twin Cities; Columbia University; Carnegie Mellon University; the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; and the University at Buffalo.
“The National AI Research Institutes are a critical component of our Nation’s AI innovation, infrastructure, technology, education, and partnerships ecosystem,” said Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of NSF.
The investment includes support from several federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
IBM is also co-funding the initiative.
