Schumer, NSF director say UB is ready to lead nation in AI for social good

During their long and varied careers, both Chuck Schumer and Sethuraman Panchanathan have spoken from countless lecterns.

Never before, though, had either been escorted to the mic by a robot dog.

That changed Tuesday as the pair, on campus for a close-up look at UB’s expertise in artificial intelligence, were joined by Spark — a cutting edge, four-legged research platform that UB uses to push the boundaries of research and education in AI, robotics and other fields.

Schumer, the U.S. Senate majority leader, gave the robot voice commands to sit and walk — much to the crowd’s delight — before getting to the business at hand.

“Today, we’re here to celebrate something truly amazing: the opening of the new, $20 million, federally funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, and its going to be housed right here at UB,” he said.

The UB-led initiative — funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences — will create AI systems that ensure children with speech and language disorders receive timely, effective assistance.

The work addresses the nationwide shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and provides services to millions of children, ages 3 to 10, who are at increased risk of falling behind in their academic and socio-emotional development.

“Here at UB, we’re seeing firsthand how New York scientists are leading not just our nation but the whole world in developing AI for the good,” said Schumer, adding that UB researchers are tackling other pressing issues such as AI-generated deepfakes that pose risks to the nation’s elections.

Schumer, who has championed Buffalo and upstate New York as national leaders in guiding the growth of responsible AI, semiconductor research and other technological innovations, added that “Investing in science, as UB has shown over the years, has always what’s kept America at the forefront.”

Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, noted that UB is one of 25 universities nationwide to receive funding to create AI-focused research centers. He said the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education stands out for its commitment to advancing accessibility and inclusion.

“We’re so proud of this project. It is an exemplar of the 25 AI institutes,” said Panchanathan, adding that the institute will strengthen the nation’s education system, grow a skilled workforce and boost the nation’s economy.

President Satish K. Tripathi said the ribbon-cutting ceremony was “decades in the making” upon considering UB’s longstanding leadership in AI innovation, including developing the first automated handwriting-recognition system that has saved the U.S. Postal Service billions of dollars.

“Long before AI was on everybody’s lips and smart devices were on everyone’s wrists, UB was already conducting groundbreaking research in machine learning,” he said, adding that the university is “known as a national and international powerhouse” in harnessing AI for public good.

This expertise has also positioned UB to be the home of Empire AI, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed $400 million statewide consortium and computing center that is focused on responsible AI innovation and economic development. It also puts UB and its partners, Schumer said, in a prime spot to join NSF’s new National AI Research Resource pilot program. And he said it strengthens the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region’s federal “tech hub” status, which is focused on growing a semiconductor and microchip-manufacturing corridor.

Venu Govindaraju, vice president for research and economic development, is the principal investigator of the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education. He stressed the important role that federal research funding plays at UB.

“NSF funding enables UB to support our mission-driven research priorities, and quite importantly, NSF funding is enabling faculty to conduct AI-related research for social good,” he said.

This support has allowed to UB to join important AI-related initiatives, including AI Alliance, an international community of organizations dedicated to promoting open, safe and responsible artificial intelligence, and the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), which is led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Sahana Rangasrinivasan, a computer science and engineering PhD candidate whose research is part of the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, also spoke at the event. In her research, she aims to focus on “designing solutions, helping people and ensuring that we have a positive impact on society.”

“My research isn’t just about algorithms, data or models. It is much more. It is about making a real difference in the lives of children,” said Rangasrinivasan.

In addition to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Panchanathan took part in a roundtable discussion with faculty members whose research is supported by the NSF. During that event, he articulated his vision for the NSF, which focuses on promoting scientific discovery for the betterment of society.

He also joined Govindaraju for the latest installment of the UB | AI Chat Series, which explores how UB researchers from a wide variety of academic disciplines are harnessing AI for social good.