US Takes a Page From Supercomputing Past to Boost AI Research
A pattern is emerging on how U.S. government wants to boost its AI research. The approach is similar to how the early supercomputing infrastructures were built: engage academia and national labs, then apply the research to solve critical domestic issues.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) on Tuesday announced it was awarding $140 million to universities to promote fundamental research in artificial intelligence. The funding is targeted at specific institutions to address public-sector issues like cybersecurity, climate change, agriculture, public health and education. The NSF is also funding fundamental research for the building blocks of AI so models in the future are ethical, trustworthy and accessible.
The need for coordinated initiatives in AI
"From the perspective of advancing ethical research and figuring out responsible use cases, the first step is foundational research. This is best placed at academic institutions and universities," said Hadan Omaar, a senior analyst focusing on AI policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a think tank based in Washington DC.
There has been a pushback against AI research being done by the private sector over the last few years, "so there's an effort needed by the government to balance this out," Omaar said.
