With Visit to University at Buffalo’s National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, SUNY Chancellor Celebrates SUNY Leadership in AI Research and Scholarship
July 17, 2024
With Historic Investment, UB has Benefitted from Back-to-Back Increases in New Operating Aid from Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, Totaling $40.5 Million, Over the Past Two Years
Chancellor King Joined UB Leaders, Students, Faculty, and Elected Officials for Roundtable Discussion on Artificial Intelligence Research Across UB, the Host for Governor Hochul's Empire AI Consortium
Buffalo, NY – During a visit to the University at Buffalo, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. was joined by campus leaders, students, faculty, and elected officials at UB's National AI Institute for Exceptional Education for a roundtable discussion on the use of artificial intelligence for the public good. State Senator Sean Ryan, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Assemblymember Steven Otis led a delegation of Western New York officials in a conversation on the future of AI, and helped celebrate the historic investment in research, scholarship, and infrastructure at UB, the host for New York State's Empire AI Consortium to conduct research for the public good.
"University at Buffalo's history as a leader in AI research and development dates back to the early 1990s when UB researchers developed a handwriting recognition system for the United States Postal Service," said SUNY Chancellor King. "I want to express my appreciation to Assemblymember Otis, Chair of the Assembly Science and Technology Committee, for his interest in hosting this pivotal discussion on AI at the host site of the Empire AI Consortium. None of this would be possible without the steadfast support of Governor Hochul and the state legislature in securing historic funding for SUNY to embark on innovative AI exploration. With the unwavering commitment and ingenuity of our SUNY faculty and students, SUNY will continue to be at the forefront of AI research and development."
SUNY Board Trustee Eunice A. Lewin said, "Where there is a will, there is a way and for decades, UB researchers have been discovering innovative ways to use artificial intelligence that will positively benefit the public. Today's discussion was another important step in furthering our understanding of artificial intelligence and mapping out the ways in which SUNY, under the leadership of Chancellor King and with the support of Governor Hochul and the state legislature, can continue to be a leader in AI research, while simultaneously allowing our students to get hands-on experience in this booming industry."
SUNY is a founding member of Governor Hochul's Empire AI Consortium, which is supported by over $400 million in public and private resources. Empire AI will cement New York State's position at the vanguard of AI research and development, as it prepares students for careers in the rapidly emerging field, and UB will serve as the host site for Empire AI. The FY 2024/2025 New York State budget allocated $275 million to create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center on the University at Buffalo's campus. SUNY researchers are committed to using AI for social good, including developing new technologies that address food insecurity, the shortage of speech-language pathologists in K-12 education, information integrity and deepfakes, and the need for improved stroke treatment and medical imaging.
UB has also benefitted from back-to-back increases in new operating aid from Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, totaling $40.5 million, a 31.6% increase in direct state support, over the past two years. SUNY has also expanded paid internships for students focusing on artificial intelligence for the public good through the Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund, supporting approximately 45 internships this summer with 23 at the University at Buffalo.
University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi said, "We were so pleased to welcome Chancellor King, SUNY Board Trustee Lewin, and members of the Western New York State delegation and the New York State Assembly Science and Technology Committee to UB to discuss the meaningful ways we are harnessing artificial intelligence for the public good. From our first investigations into machine learning more than four decades ago to the present day, UB has been at the cutting edge of responsible AI research and application. Today, more than 200 UB researchers across disciplines are using AI to solve some of our most pressing challenges in areas including the environment, health care, information integrity, and education. We remain deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for recognizing our wealth of expertise in artificial intelligence by identifying UB as the home of Empire AI."
University at Buffalo Vice President for Research and Economic Development and SUNY Distinguished Professor Venu Govindaraju said, "We are honored to welcome Chancellor John B. King Jr. to the University at Buffalo, where the future of artificial intelligence for public good is being shaped. Today, our roundtable of esteemed academic leaders, AI experts and elected officials shared AI advances that promote a dialogue on AI policy and practices in critical areas. Together, we are pioneering AI discoveries that will drive progress in research and economic development, demonstrating UB's commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit."
State Senator Sean Ryan said, "As our country and the world adapt to the reality of an AI driven future, it is vital that New York stays ahead of the curve. When it comes to leading our state in AI research, it is a natural fit for this groundbreaking work to be centered at one of our top SUNY institutions, the University at Buffalo. UB has been a trailblazer in AI research for decades. With a strong commitment of state funding, this work will help guide New York into a future where AI is used to serve the public good."
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "UB's National AI Institute is a premier research center that is primed to get stronger, faster and better with the state's investment of $40.5 million, an effort led by my legislative colleagues and Governor Hochul. Under Chancellor King's leadership, SUNY is serving as a founding member of New York's Empire AI Consortium; we anticipate UB continuing its academic leadership among students and faculty, research and development, innovation, and serving as a catalyst for public private partnerships and most importantly, job creation."
Assembly Science and Technology Committee Chair Steve Otis said, "Our committee was very excited to meet with the Empire AI team at the University of Buffalo. UB has been a leader in AI for many years. Governor Kathy Hochul and Chancellor John King have identified an especially important goal: a public benefit-driven focus for the evolution of artificial intelligence. Our meetings and discussions play a valuable role in understanding where AI is going and making sure public policy values are part of that growth."
Assemblymember Patrick Burke said, "AI is transforming every aspect of our lives, from work and learning to communication and play. While there is excitement about its opportunities, there is also concern about the changes it brings. The University at Buffalo's leadership in this area is a positive step toward embracing these changes and reinforcing public confidence in how institutions handle AI challenges."
Assemblymember William Conrad said, "As we embrace the dawn of artificial intelligence, and as we consider how best to harness its vast potential for the advancement of humankind, I can think of no better hub for that important work than the University at Buffalo. The future of AI must be shaped by creative and responsible hands, and what an honor it is for Western New Yorkers that this is where the world will find them. I thank my Assembly Science & Technology Committee Chair Steve Otis for hosting this integral conversation, and I look forward to continuing our support of UB's groundbreaking AI research and development."
Assemblymember Karen McMahon said, "It is certainly fitting that Chancellor King and the WNY community celebrate the State's investment in AI technology and in the University at Buffalo. Locating the Empire AI program at UB recognizes the historic strides in this rapidly growing field already made by researchers here and is a profound vote of confidence in UB as a leader in this emerging technology. I could not be more proud of UB as the premier institution of higher education and research in Western New York, as a flagship university in the SUNY system, and as an economic engine for all of WNY."
Assemblymember Clyde Vanel said, "Government has traditionally lagged behind in training, innovating and adopting new technology. However, through the historical financial commitment to the Empire AI Consortium and the cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence Computing Center at the University of Buffalo, New York State is making a momentous stride in closing this technological gap. New York State must remain dedicated to closing the digital divide, adapting to and leading the charge on new technological breakthroughs."
Assemblymember Monica Wallace said, "As an international leader in artificial intelligence research for decades, UB is well positioned to lead our state's Empire AI Consortium. It's also appropriate for one of our state's premier public universities to lead this effort, so as to ensure responsible public oversight of this transformational new technology. I thank Governor Hochul, Chair Otis, and my colleagues in the Legislature for their commitment to supporting this vital research at UB, and I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the future of artificial intelligence and the Empire AI Consortium."
As of the Fall 2023 semester, SUNY had over 18,000 students enrolled in AI and AI-related programs across the system. This includes associate degrees, undergraduate certificates, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral level degrees, and advanced certificates (graduate level). These programs are housed in various departments including computer science, information technology, electrical and computer engineering, information sciences, data science, health information technology, library science, cyber operations, AI Management, robotics, computational linguistics, and many others.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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