AI
Over the past 10 years, UF has made significant computing infrastructure investments, including a $15 million data center to house the $3.4 million HiPerGator supercomputer. That work set the stage for UF’s giant next step. In 2020, alumnus Chris Malachowsky and NVIDIA, the company he cofounded, gave UF more than $50 million in cutting-edge processing tools and training to build the most powerful Artificial Intelligence computer in higher education. Faculty and students now have access to the best AI technology on the planet, and the response from the UF faculty has been incredible. Researchers with existing AI expertise are accelerating their programs while others are quickly pivoting toward AI.
Currently, our faculty have more than $10 million in AI-specific research grants, and with another $20 million-a-year from the Florida Legislature, we are now recruiting 100 new faculty with AI expertise. We expect many of those new faculty to bring AI research funding with them and to earn more once they are here. To encourage and facilitate even more external funding, UF Research created the AI Catalyst fund and chose 20 seed proposals totaling $1 million.
This year, UF’s Explore research magazine has published a number of stories highlighting examples of AI research from across campus. Here are links to those stories:
To see even more stories about UF AI research, visit UF Artificial Intelligence Initiative.
The World Economic Forum estimates AI will result in a net gain of 12 million jobs by 2025. By the end of the decade, the AI economy is expected to represent over $10 trillion in economic output. Through a combination of AI research and an innovative AI curriculum, UF is providing a whole generation of workers the skills to seize these new opportunities.
The AI Initiative promises to change the academic and research landscape at the University of Florida in the 21st century.
- David Norton, Vice President for Research
