The State University of New York at Binghamton has received the largest academic gift in the school’s history, and the money will be used to establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research.
It will be the first-ever independent AI research center at any public university in the United States.
The $30 million gift comes from a group of donors led by Tom Secunda, a Binghamton University alumnus and co-founder of Bloomberg LP who also serves as the independent chair of the board of the Empire AI consortium. The gift is paired with a $25 million research capital investment from SUNY.
The center will focus on research into safety, security and transparency of artificial intelligence models and systems to ensure AI serves the public good. It aims to become the nation’s premier academic hub for creating responsible artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, and as the technology increasingly influences everything we do, we need to be just as nimble in making sure AI works for New Yorkers safely and responsibly,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
Secunda said the center will help build public trust through rigorous research.
“This new Center will help create the tools, standards, and talent pipeline the country needs so AI is not only powerful, but also secure, transparent and worthy of public confidence,” Secunda said.
Binghamton University is a founding member of the Empire AI Consortium, Hochul’s initiative to provide the state’s leading public and private research universities with access to state-of-the-art AI computing resources. In collaboration with the consortium, the center will work to attract AI talent to the state.
SUNY and Binghamton University will begin an immediate national search for center leadership and affiliated faculty to advance the center’s independent research mission and translate evidence-based findings into real-world practices.
As part of the capital funding commitment, the State University of New York at Binghamton will engage in a rebranding to more fully align with the SUNY name and logo. SUNY is working with each university center on its own similar branding process.