Source: UMass News and Media
The Healey-Driscoll administration has launched a new partnership with UMass Amherst to recruit a cohort of students who will work full-time in collaboration with Massachusetts state agencies on experiential AI for social good projects. The program, which will be led by the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, builds on the success of InnovateMAthrough which the administration partnered with Northeastern University to deploy cooperative students to work alongside partner state agencies to use AI to improve the delivery of services and programs for residents of the Massachusetts. In addition to serving as an accelerator for the state’s adoption of GénAIThese higher education partnerships provide a fruitful talent pipeline for the state, as the majority of the first cohort of students came to work in agencies as interns or full-time staff.
The project was announced Dec. 19 at a press conference at the Boston Museum of Science, where Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll — along with leaders from the AI ecosystem , including UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes and UMass President Marty. Meehan – unveiled the Massachusetts AI Huba groundbreaking effort to make Massachusetts a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation. This pioneering initiative will foster cutting-edge collaboration between government, industry, startups and academia, seek solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, and unlock economic opportunities for businesses and residents across the state.
The Massachusetts AI Hub will be created within the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), the state’s quasi-public economic development agency focused on advancing technology and innovation, and will leverage resources authorized in the Mass Leads Act to support AI initiatives and the creation of an AI Center in Massachusetts.
A partnership with the non-profit association was also revealed. Massachusetts Green High-Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) in Holyoke – a joint venture of the University of Massachusetts System, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston, Harvard and Northeastern Universities – to expand access to sustainable high-performance computing needed for AI innovation. Through this partnership, public and private higher education institutions, startups and businesses in the innovation ecosystem, and Massachusetts residents will be able to access this vital infrastructure. This partnership will involve joint investments from partner universities in Massachusetts and MGHPCC that are expected to exceed more than $100 million over the next five years as it grows.
“Since our nation’s founding, Massachusetts has pioneered groundbreaking innovations that have changed human history, from the development of the first computer to the creation of life-saving vaccines. Today, we build on this long-standing legacy with the Massachusetts AI Hub,” Healey said at the event. “Through the AI Hub, we will set the standard for AI development by supporting pioneering research, attracting and retaining unprecedented AI talent, and transforming our state into a global leader in innovation in Applied AI, solving the biggest challenges facing our society today. »
“We have the opportunity to make our state the best place in the world for collaborative and responsible AI innovation,” Driscoll said. “The Massachusetts AI Hub leverages our state’s existing assets, including our unprecedented innovation ecosystem, world-class universities, highly skilled talent, and revolutionary spirit, to advance transformative technologies and create opportunities economical for all.
“Our partnership with Governor Healey and Secretary Snyder will help students and faculty find ways in which the responsible use of AI can help the Commonwealth be more effective and responsive to the needs of citizens while providing both important experiential learning and potential career opportunities in public service. students,” Reyes said in a statement of support for the new hub and projects. “I am proud that UMass Amherst continues to fulfill its mission as a land-grant university to provide education, research and public service for the benefit of the people of Massachusetts, the nation and the world.”
“Artificial intelligence represents one of the most transformative technological developments of our time, and I am extremely proud of the important role UMass plays in the AI Task Force efforts. Thanks to the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the work of the AI Task Force, Massachusetts is now better positioned to lead the nation in harnessing the potential of AI in an ethical and caring manner. prioritizing equity and access,” Meehan. added. “I would like to thank Michael Milligan for co-chairing this vital initiative and for his tireless dedication to ensuring the Commonwealth remains at the forefront of the ethical use of AI. As a Commonwealth public research university, we will live up to our mission and train the workforce that will propel this industry into the future, encourage our faculty in their groundbreaking research in this field, and support the aspirations economic development of the state.
“I am deeply honored to have served as co-chair of the AI Task Force and to have collaborated with such an extraordinary group of leaders and experts from across the Commonwealth,” said Milligan, UMass CIO and co-chair of the working group. “AI will undoubtedly impact – if it hasn’t already – every industry and every individual in the Commonwealth. By prioritizing equity and access, and developing strategies for the responsible and effective use of AI, we can ensure that AI is a force for good. We believe these recommendations provide a solid foundation for a future where AI benefits all members of the Commonwealth.
The full announcement, including full details about the Massachusetts AI Hub, can be viewed at the Healey-Driscoll administration website here.
