NSF advances artificial intelligence research with new nationwide institutes – University of Oklahoma One of Five Awardees
The U.S. National Science Foundation is establishing new artificial intelligence institutes to accelerate research, expand America's workforce, and transform society in the decades to come. Enabled by sustained federal investment and channeled toward issues of national importance, continued advancement in AI research holds the potential for further economic impact and improvements in quality of life.
With an investment of over $100 million over the next five years, NSF's Artificial Intelligence Institutes represent the nation's most significant federal investment in AI research and workforce development to date. The $20 million investment in each of five NSF AI institutes is just the beginning, with more institute announcements anticipated in the coming years.
"NSF's long history of investment in AI research and workforce development paved the way for many of the breakthrough commercial technologies permeating and driving society today," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "NSF invests more than $500 million in AI research annually. We are supporting five NSF AI Institutes this year, with more to follow, creating hubs for academia, industry, and government to collaborate on profound discoveries and develop new capabilities to advance American competitiveness for decades to come."
Led by NSF, and in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Homeland's Security Science and Technology Directorate, and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, these institutes will serve as nodes in a broader nationwide network that will pursue transformational advances in sectors of societal impact, from extreme weather preparedness to K-12 education. In addition to the five new NSF AI Institutes, USDA is announcing two of its first institutes today supported through this joint program, providing an additional $40 million over the next five years.
NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography, led by a team at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, assembles researchers in AI, atmospheric and ocean science, and risk communication to develop user-driven trustworthy AI that addresses pressing concerns in weather, climate, and coastal hazards prediction. With AI certificate programs aimed at workforce skills, the institute is providing the research and training necessary for the future workforce to deliver the advances needed to deal with forecasting and prediction challenges.
Read the full story and view the complete list of awardees here.