VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University will use the largest donation in school history to establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research.
The $30 million philanthropic gift from a group of donors led by Tom Secunda — a Binghamton University alumnus and co-founder of Bloomberg LP — is coupled with a $25 million research capital investment from SUNY, the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.
Secunda also serves as the independent chair of the board of the Empire AI consortium.
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It is described as the “first-ever independent AI research center at any public university in the United States,” per the Hochul announcement.
“I’m optimistic about what AI will unlock — new scientific discovery, better health outcomes, stronger public services, and productivity gains that expand opportunity, and I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to advancing science for the public good. To capture those benefits at full scale, we also need to build trust the right way: through independent, rigorous research that can test systems, measure performance, and explain how advanced models behave in real-world settings,” Secunda said. “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. Paired with Empire AI’s shared computing infrastructure, Binghamton University can help lead a national effort to make sure the next generation of AI advances strengthens communities and expands what’s possible.”
SUNY and Binghamton University will begin an immediate national search for Center leadership and affiliated faculty, “building a team to advance the Center’s independent research mission and translate evidence-based findings into real-world practices, and will work to maximize available funding for the Center,” Hochul’s office 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.
Center’s mission
The Center for AI Responsibility and Research at Binghamton University will be the “nation’s premier academic hub” for creating the science and engineering of “responsible, repeatable, and transparent” artificial intelligence,” Hochul’s office contends. Its goal is to serve as the nation’s only public academic center for foundational technical research into safety, security, and transparency of AI models and systems to help ensure AI serves the public good.
Its formation provides more opportunity to “pioneer safe, equitable, and accessible” AI research and development that benefits New York, “ensuring these powerful tools are secure, fair, and easy to understand.”
In collaboration with the Empire AI consortium, it “places New York at the forefront of a new technical discipline in the public interest, and will attract AI talent to the state.”
