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The University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology have joined the Empire AI consortium.
Both universities and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are among new members joining New York’s efforts to increase the computing power of Empire AI. Gov. Kathy Hochul last week revealed more details of her plans for Empire AI, which includes expanding access for SUNY researchers and $90 million in capital funding, included in the fiscal 2026 executive budget. The proposal will be largely matched by private funding—$50 million—from new members and $25 million in SUNY operating funding over a period of 10 years.
This investment will make the Empire AI supercomputer more powerful, leading to more research for the public good being done faster and more efficiently compared with currently available computing power, state officials say.
Established in 2024, Empire AI is an independent consortium to position the state at the forefront of AI research. The consortium is tasked with leveraging a state investment of $275 million to create an AI computing center at University of Buffalo. It is expected to be used by institutions in the state for research and development and to create jobs. The center is girded by the goal to “advance AI for public good.”
The first phase of Empire AI was launched last year with a donation from the Simons Foundation. Already, Empire AI has enabled more than 200 researchers from member institutions to begin work. Current projects include:
■ technologies that could provide adaptive speech and language therapies to children with special needs;
■ climate models to help communities prepare for the impact of extreme weather events; and
■ models to help analyze CT scans to better diagnose and treat lung cancer.
“Empire AI is advancing research in public health, environmental science, computing and countless other areas, and we’re doing it at a scale and pace that would have been unthinkable even a few short months ago,” says Robert Harrison, Empire AI interim executive director.
As the only consortium member with an integrated health system and eight hospitals, UR adds its experience to the mix. The UR Medical Center has already been exploring and implementing forms of AI to support clinical operations and transform health care, the university says. UR is also supporting businesses with the application of data science through its Center of Excellence in Data Science and AI.
“AI is rapidly changing our lives in fundamental and profound ways. That’s why we are so excited to join Empire AI to leverage our incredible assets and strengths in AI and supercomputing,” says Steve Dewhurst, UR’s vice president for research. “In partnership with our state’s leading experts, we can enhance how we learn, discover, heal, and create, while harnessing our collective strengths to best position New York to lead and benefit from this technology.”
Last August, RIT created the RIT Artificial Intelligence Hub, an entity that promotes AI-enabled innovations and services on campus. Christopher Collison, director of the hub, is a researcher in AI-driven materials in chemistry and renewable energy. His research involves predictions of drug-protein interactions.
“Joining Empire AI would strengthen our commitment to leading the way in the higher education artificial intelligence space,” says Ryne Raffaelle, RIT vice president of research. “Our researchers would have unique opportunities to access cutting-edge equipment, connect with other thought leaders, and engage students in work related to responsible artificial intelligence. This partnership would be valuable for our university and would escalate our state as a national leader in this area.”
For members, Empire AI provides economies of scale hard to achieve independently, state officials say. It also offers researchers opportunities to collaborate with peers for innovation.
“The United States is in a race with China and the rest of the world in the global AI revolution, and with our first-in-the-nation Empire AI consortium, New York is leading the way in research and innovation,” Hochul says. “With Empire AI, we are setting the standard for harnessing the power of AI for the public good and ultimately creating a better future for New Yorkers.”
The founding members of Empire AI include SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.
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