SUNY Chancellor King to join UB President Tripathi to launch new UB | AI Chat Series

BUFFALO, N.Y. — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. will join University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi on Wednesday, Sept. 6, to help launch UB | AI Chat Series, “Harnessing AI for Public Good.”

The two-year series will feature faculty-led and moderated discussions that explore how UB researchers from a wide variety of academic disciplines are harnessing artificial intelligence for the betterment of society.

It will spotlight significant new projects underway at UB such as the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, which the federal government funded with $20 million in January, as well as nearly $6 million in NSF-sponsored research to help older adults recognize and combat online scams and disinformation, among other endeavors.

Wednesday’s panel will include UB researchers who specialize in computer science, education, biomedical engineering and the humanities.

NOTE: News media are invited to attend the panel’s concluding remarks at 11:20 a.m.; King and Tripathi will be available at 11:30 a.m. for interviews. Location: The Buffalo Room, 10 Capen Hall, UB North Campus. 

King, who has made research and scholarship one of his top priorities, is visiting Buffalo to gain first-hand insight into AI programs led by UB that tackle pressing societal needs.

SUNY, along with its universities and colleges, affiliated institutions, and partners, engages in a diverse array of AI-related activities and capabilities. These efforts contribute significantly to the advancement of AI technologies, as well as the education and training of a highly skilled workforce. They also foster interdisciplinary collaborations, which are further enhanced by industry partnerships.

“SUNY serves as a hub for cutting-edge research and innovation, providing state-of-the-art facilities and academic programs that draw in leading researchers and foster collaborations with diverse organizations. The use of artificial intelligence is poised to be a transformative force as we move forward,” King says. “University at Buffalo is a national leader in this space with research and educational programs in artificial intelligence, as well as other scientific domains, and through New York State investment President Tripathi’s team is expanding to take advantage of the potential of this technology. Institutions such as UB spotlight the tremendous impact that SUNY has not just in our own backyard, but worldwide.”

Tripathi says the university has long been a pioneer in the development of cutting-edge AI systems, and that recent federal awards indicate the university is poised to play an even greater role in the development of technologies that improve health care, national security, and education, among other sectors.

“At the University at Buffalo, we are dedicated to bringing the benefits of our scholarship and creative activities to local and global communities,” says Tripathi. “The advancements our researchers are making in AI, biomedicine, semiconductors and sensors, and many other fields are helping to solve society’s most pressing challenges.”