Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York’s first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium will commence research this fall, just six months after it was included in the FY25 Enacted Budget. The Simons Foundation made a philanthropic contribution of initial computing power and expert staffing, allowing Empire AI to jumpstart their research. Housed at the University at Buffalo, this initial phase of Empire AI represents some of the most robust computing power in the nation. On behalf of the Consortium, the University at Buffalo has also launched a request for proposals to advance the permanent home of the full-scale state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center.
“New York is writing the next chapter of human history with our historic Empire AI initiative — putting innovation, research and technology at the forefront of our investments,” Governor Hochul said. “Empire AI is centered in the public interest, and this step brings us closer to using this technology to shape a better future for New Yorkers.”
Empire AI Consortium members will leverage the initial research capacity, starting this fall, to advance research aimed at addressing major societal challenges for the public good. These efforts will focus on critical areas such as climate change and resilience, health disparities and interventions, accelerating drug discovery, democratizing education for all populations, and tackling global food insecurity and urban poverty…