Artificial Intelligence Coming to University at Albany

In a press release on Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the University at Albany will become the home of a new artificial intelligence supercomputing initiative.

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The $200 million project will turn the building which was formerly Albany High School into an engineering college capable of housing a supercomputer that can reach a quintillion computations per second. It would be the first university-based supercomputer capable of reaching that kind of production.

In the press release, Governor Hochul said "My administration is steadfast in its commitment to transform SUNY into a globally renowned, 21st century education leader. This funding will help drive economic revenue by attracting companies to New York's emerging advanced research centers, creating jobs and strengthening communities for decades to come."

The Albany AI will focus on cybersecurity, weather prediction, health data analytics, drug discovery, next-generation microchip design and other applications.

Deborah F. Stanley, the SUNY Interim Chancellor, said "SUNY campuses are ever-evolving to meet the training requirements and rigorous research needs of the developing science, technology, and engineering sectors. By investing in the new Albany Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Initiative, we are showing our students that cutting-edge research is right here in our top-tier, affordable, and accessible institutions."

The building that will house the Albany AI will be able to serve over 1,000 students, faculty and staff. The University at Albany is also working on a way to make AI supercomputing resources available to all students, regardless of what field of study they're in. Additionally, the Albany AI will have a variety of other private and public sector uses, which could bring about massive transformations for the entire Capital Region.