Hochul announces $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta supercomputer

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ALBANY, N.Y. — Empire State Development (ESD) has approved $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta, the second phase of the supercomputer powering New York’s Empire AI (artificial intelligence) initiative. SUNY and Cornell University are among the seven founding members of Empire AI, and the group also includes CUNY (City University of New York), Columbia […]

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SUNY and Cornell University are among the seven founding members of Empire AI, and the group also includes CUNY (City University of New York), Columbia University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.

Empire AI Beta will be 11 times more powerful than current capacity, allowing hundreds of researchers from the now 10 member institutions to continue to advance AI research for public good, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on June 26.

Empire AI is now backed by more than $500 million in public and private funding, including up to $340 million in state capital funding that Hochul secured.

“With Empire AI, New York is leading in emerging technology and ensuring the power of AI is harnessed for public good and developed right here in this great state,” Hochul contended in the June 26 announcement. “The launch of Beta will supercharge our efforts to advance responsible AI development by some of our brightest minds at research institutions focused on purpose, not profit.”

The funding that ESD approved will allow the Empire AI consortium to purchase the equipment needed to power the second-phase supercomputer, housed at the University at Buffalo. Empire AI Beta will use NVIDIA’s Blackwell AI supercomputing platform.

The new Beta system will “dramatically accelerate” Empire AI’s computing performance from the current Alpha system: 11-fold in AI training, 40-fold in AI inference, and an 8-fold increase in data storage, the state says.

New York State also expects Empire AI Beta to be among the first academic deployments of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems. Both the Alpha and Beta systems are running “only fractions” of Empire AI’s eventual computing power, but the new Beta system will propel Empire AI to become “one of the most advanced academic computers in the world,” Hochul’s office contends.

“As AI research, development and usage grows, New York tech leaders are exploring new ways to utilize these advancements in ways that will generate solutions to complex issues and support positive growth,” Hope Knight, president, CEO, and commissioner of Empire State Development, said. “The $40 million in funding approved today by ESD’s Board of Directors represents a significant step forward that will increase the capacity of Empire AI and further enhance the AI research happening throughout our state.”

Empire AI is made up of 10 member universities and research institutions. As part of the latest state budget, Hochul secured $90 million in new capital funding to “substantially increase” the computing power of Empire AI and expand access for SUNY researchers. The funding will also help support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The new Beta system builds on the successful 2024 launch of Alpha, which was made possible by philanthropic support from the Simons Foundation, Hochul’s office said. Planning and development of the full-scale Empire AI computing center is underway. Empire AI Alpha and Empire AI Beta allow member institutions to conduct AI research “as soon as possible” until the full-scale system is complete.

“With the launch of Beta, Empire AI is unleashing a game-changing level of computational power to serve researchers across New York,” Robert Harrison, interim executive director of Empire AI, said in the state’s announcement. “From cancer diagnostics to climate modeling, this system will accelerate innovation across fields — while putting New York at the forefront of responsible AI development. Thanks to the vision of Governor Hochul and our expanding roster of top-tier academic partners, we are building something truly unprecedented: a public AI research powerhouse designed to benefit everyone.”

Instacart, Wegmans launch pilot of AI-powered smart carts

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DeWITT, N.Y. — Instacart (NASDAQ: CART), a grocery-technology company, says Caper Carts, the company’s AI (artificial intelligence)-powered smart carts, are now available at the Wegmans store in DeWitt. It marks the first deployment of Caper Carts at Wegmans, as part of an initial in-store program offering customers a “smarter, more seamless way to shop in-store,”

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New York municipalities required to use “.gov” website domain by year-end

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Legislation passed early this year amends New York general municipal law and requires that all municipal websites use a “.gov” domain name. The change, which goes into effect on Dec. 21, 2025, also requires that all municipalities with a population of 1,500 or more establish and maintain an official website. The website must be updated

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Legislation passed early this year amends New York general municipal law and requires that all municipal websites use a “.gov” domain name.

The change, which goes into effect on Dec. 21, 2025, also requires that all municipalities with a population of 1,500 or more establish and maintain an official website. The website must be updated regularly and be accessible to the public. Websites must contain basic municipal information such as hours of operation, privacy policy information, financial documents such as the current year budget, public notices, agendas and minutes required by the Open Meetings Law, and legal and regulatory documents.

“We don’t believe it’s overly egregious,” New York Association of Towns (NYAOT) Executive Director Christopher Koetzle says of the legislation, which the NYAOT helped negotiate.

Websites are useful tools for municipalities to easily convey information to residents, he notes. Having a “.gov” domain will make those websites more secure and add a layer of authenticity, he adds. With municipalities currently having anything from a “.com” to a “.org” to a “.gov,” requiring all municipalities to use “.gov” adds uniformity.

“It’s just easier for the residents to know it’s a ‘.gov’,” Koetzle says.

Switching a “.gov” domain provides some extra security for municipalities, Brandon Brooks, data center manager at M.A. Polce, a Rome–based cybersecurity and IT services firm, says.

“Anyone can buy a “.com” for pretty cheap,” he says, and there isn’t any background checking going on. That’s not the case with a “.gov” domain, which is issued through a federal registry through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

“They check your eligibility,” Brooks says. “They really go through a thorough verification process to make sure you’re eligible.”

That thorough vetting process helps ensure entities’ website domains are not “stolen,” he notes. Since domain names have to be renewed regularly, they can become eligible again if an entity somehow misses their renewal period. That means a municipality using a “.com” domain could lose access to that domain if it misses the renewal period for some reason, says Brooks. That opens the door for bad actors to obtain the domain. The entity would either have to give in to the bad actor’s demands to regain the domain or switch to a new domain name and start its website all over again. However, the vetting process for the “.gov” domain helps prevent hostile domain takeovers.

“There’s definitely a tightened layer of security,” Brooks says.

The process of obtaining a “.gov” domain can be a little lengthy but isn’t inherently difficult. Brooks suggests municipalities that have to make the switch create a plan to manage the process smoothly.

“There are a lot of moving parts to it,” he says, but about 90 percent of the changes happen “behind the scenes.”

Towns can acquire a “.gov” domain name, at no cost, through the GSA at: https://get.gov/domains/.

To let residents know of the website address change, municipalities can post a banner on the current website homepage notifying them, Brooks says. Once the change is made, municipalities can redirect residents from the old website to the new one for a period of time as well.

“There are a few different ways to ease people into it,” Brooks says.

Onondaga County has used a “.com” domain but is already in the process of migrating over a large portion of the county’s website to “.gov,” Justin Sayles, the county’s executive communications director, tells CNYBJ.

Upstate’s mobile mammography van reaches 5,000 mammograms milestone

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ELBRIDGE, N.Y.— Upstate University Hospital’s mobile mammography van in mid-June provided its 5,000th mammogram, which Upstate called an “important milestone.” Anna-Marie Peters, of Elbridge, was welcomed with balloons and a bouquet of flowers when she arrived at the van, which was parked outside the Jordan Elbridge Medical Center. “It was wonderful, and I loved it,”

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ELBRIDGE, N.Y.— Upstate University Hospital’s mobile mammography van in mid-June provided its 5,000th mammogram, which Upstate called an “important milestone.”

Anna-Marie Peters, of Elbridge, was welcomed with balloons and a bouquet of flowers when she arrived at the van, which was parked outside the Jordan Elbridge Medical Center.

“It was wonderful, and I loved it,” Peters said. “It was close to home and so much more convenient.”

Wendy Hunt, program manager of Upstate’s mobile mammography program, said Peters’ experience “reflects that of many patients” who rely on the van for the life-saving screening, per the June 18 announcement on Upstate website.

“If we can remove obstacles to getting a mammogram, we’ve been successful,” Hunt said. “The Mammography Van extends our clinical campus boundaries to wherever we are on any given day. We bring the van to the people.”

In more than five years of service, the van has provided just over 5,000 mammograms and traveled more than 50,000 miles across 13 counties. It has also “made a real impact,” in detecting 20 cancers through its screenings, Upstate said.

The van partners with dozens of organizations and frequently appears at events hosted by businesses, libraries, community groups, American Legion posts, schools, medical offices, churches, fire departments, town halls, senior centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, fairs, YMCAs, car dealerships, farmers markets, apartment complexes, health departments, colleges, and fitness centers.

The New York State Fair is one of its “most popular” stops. This year, the van will be parked behind Chevy Court on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. to offer mammograms.

Patients are encouraged to make an appointment and have a doctor’s order to receive a screening. However, walk-ins will be accepted if time allows. For those without a primary-care provider to write an order, the van can provide a one-time order, Upstate said.

Equipped with the same screening technology found in clinic settings, the van’s images are reviewed by licensed radiologists. It also includes a reception area, changing room, nursing-exam room, and an imaging room. For patients with mobility concerns or those who use wheelchairs, the van includes a wheelchair lift.

Upstate Medical University now fully supports the van after it was initially funded through a grant from Health Research Inc. and the New York State Department of Health, the medical school noted.

For more information about the mobile mammography van and a schedule of screening events through November, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/mobile-mammography/

Survey: Half of managers use AI to decide who gets promoted, fired

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only, Technology

A new Resume Builder survey of 1,342 U.S. managers with direct reports, found a majority of those using AI at work are relying on it to make high-stakes personnel decisions, including who gets promoted, who gets a raise, and who gets fired. According to the survey, six in 10 managers deploy AI to make decisions

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According to the survey, six in 10 managers deploy AI to make decisions about their direct reports, including for high-stakes actions. Specifically, 78 percent of managers use AI to determine raises, 77 percent for promotions, 66 percent for layoffs, and 64 percent even use it to determine terminations. More than one in five managers say they frequently allow AI to make final decisions without human input; however, two-thirds of managers using AI to manage people report receiving no formal training for it.

“It’s essential not to lose the ‘people’ in people management,” Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder, said in the survey report. “While AI can support data-driven insights, it lacks context, empathy, and judgment. AI outcomes reflect the data it’s given, which can be flawed or biased. Organizations have a responsibility to implement AI ethically to avoid legal liability, protect their culture, and maintain trust among employees.”

The survey also found that 94 percent of AI-using managers rely on it to make employee-related decisions. Popular tools include ChatGPT (53 percent), Microsoft’s Copilot (29 percent), and Google’s Gemini (16 percent.). In addition to performance assessments and development planning, nearly half of AI-using managers say they use the tools often or all the time to guide decisions related to compensation and employment status.

Just 32 percent of managers using AI report receiving formal training on the ethical use of using AI in people management, while 24 percent report receiving no training at all.

The survey found that 46 percent of managers have been tasked with evaluating whether AI can replace one of their direct reports, and 57 percent concluded it could. Another 43 percent went on to replace the position with AI.

The survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by polling platform Pollfish. A total of 1,342 managers were surveyed.

The full report is available online at: www.resumebuilder.com/half-of-managers-use-ai-to-determine-who-gets-promoted-and-fired/.

OPINION: Nuclear Energy is Critical to New York’s Grid Reliability

Opinion, Subscriber Only

Gov. Kathy Hochul recently directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop and execute a plan to build a “zero-emission advanced nuclear power plant” at a to-be-determined location in upstate New York. I applaud this decision, and I am glad to see the governor finally acknowledging the need to bolster our grid’s reliability with

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I applaud this decision, and I am glad to see the governor finally acknowledging the need to bolster our grid’s reliability with nuclear energy, just as the Assembly Minority Conference has repeatedly called for since the passage of the deeply flawed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

Per the governor’s [June 23] announcement, “candidate locations will be assessed for suitability based on public safety, strength of community support, compatibility with existing infrastructure, as well as skilled labor and land availability.” As I recently pointed out, Oswego already houses three reactors, and I believe it would be an ideal site for the proposed facility. I look forward to working with our partners in the executive’s office, state agencies, and labor partners to develop a plan that works for all New Yorkers.

The decision to build an advanced nuclear-power plant could not come soon enough. New York’s climate agenda has been on the wrong track for too long. The decommissioning of the two reactor plants at Indian Point — which supplied New York City with about 25 percent of its daily energy — combined with plans to phase out traditional natural gas as we electrify our energy grid and the unrealistic emissions goals of the CLCPA have raised numerous alarms statewide. At some point, Albany’s “green scheme” had to give way to reality. The commitment to nuclear power is a great first step toward addressing the shortcomings of the CLCPA, but we have much more work to do if we are truly going to modernize our energy infrastructure.

Nuclear energy is clean, efficient, and reliable, and it is indispensable if New York is going to have a diverse energy portfolio capable of handling our substantial demand. Recently, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) released a report highlighting the need to improve the reliability of our energy infrastructure. According to NYISO, consumers’ increasing demand for electricity combined with New York taking traditional power plants offline is resulting in declining reliability margins.

[The June 23-25] heat wave highlighted the need for proven, reliable power sources rather than a stubborn rush to alternative supplies. As temperatures rose across the state, NYISO was forced to issue an Energy Warning, which immediately precedes a full-blown Energy Emergency. With the grid approaching peak capacity, the governor encouraged New York City residents to set air-conditioning units to 76 degrees and avoid “unnecessary appliance use.” Should our energy grid fail during a heat wave of this magnitude, or should it fail during similarly extreme winter weather, the situation could turn deadly.

Construction of a new nuclear facility would mark an exciting milestone for our state. I have long advocated for improvements to our energy infrastructure, and I truly believe we have a unique opportunity to not only meet our state’s energy needs, but also exceed them with a modern, affordable, and efficient energy plan driven by nuclear power. I am excited to build upon this momentum and continue to find innovative ways to keep the lights on for generations to come.

William (Will) A. Barclay, 56, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses all of Oswego County, as well as parts of Jefferson and Cayuga counties.

OPINION: Supreme Court Wisely Strikes Down Universal Injunctions

Opinion, Subscriber Only

The U.S. Supreme Court has wisely determined in a 6-3 decision that lower courts lack authority to issue universal (national) injunctions against executive orders or laws, and that injunctions can only apply to parties in a case. For too long, courts have used universal injunctions as speed bumps to slow down a President or Congress’

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SEDCO, ANCA, Broome County Council of Churches awarded food-access grants

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) will use a state grant of more than $1.7 million to renovate and reopen the vacant

United States Trustee Program closes Utica field office

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UTICA, N.Y. — The United States Trustee Program closed its Utica field office on Tuesday, July 1, according to a notice from the U.S. Department of Justice posted on its website. The U.S. Trustee Program is responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees. The national program’s mission is to promote the

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New York expands Veterans Tuition Awards program

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ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State has expanded the Veterans Tuition Awards program, which will enable more veterans to access financial aid for college. Under

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