Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a $90 million expansion of New York’s pioneering Empire AI Consortium, a first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence (AI) research initiative designed to drive AI innovation for the public good. The funding, included in the Governor’s FY26 Executive Budget, aims to enhance the consortium’s computing power, expand access for researchers across the State University of New York (SUNY) system, and welcome new institutional members, including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The proposed investment will be matched by $50 million in private funding from new members and $25 million in SUNY operating funds over the next decade. This expansion follows the rapid success of Empire AI Alpha, which launched in October 2024 and has already reached maximum capacity, supporting over 200 researchers in AI-driven projects across healthcare, climate science, and technological advancements.
“The United States is in a race with China and the rest of the world in the global AI revolution, and with our first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium, New York is leading the way in research and innovation,” Hochul said. “With Empire AI, we are setting the standard for harnessing the power of AI for the public good and ultimately creating a better future for New Yorkers.”
Launched through a $275 million state investment, Empire AI operates as an independent research consortium housed at the University at Buffalo. Its founding members include SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.
Empire AI is already tackling major societal challenges, including AI-assisted language therapy for children, climate modeling to prepare for extreme weather, and improved lung cancer diagnostics through advanced imaging analysis. With the latest funding, the initiative will further expand its capabilities, fostering collaborations between leading institutions and providing more students and researchers with access to cutting-edge computing resources.
Empire State Development President Hope Knight hailed the initiative as a critical step in cementing New York’s role as an AI research leader. “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s vision and commitment, New York State is a clear leader in harnessing the power of AI—one of the most revolutionary technologies of this century—to improve people’s lives and promote the public good,” Knight said.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. emphasized the role of AI in solving critical global challenges, stating, “SUNY’s world-class researchers are already accelerating groundbreaking work on climate change, curing diseases, and civic discourse thanks to Empire AI, and Governor Hochul’s budget proposal will help SUNY and other higher education institutions conduct research that strengthens our economic well-being and national security.”
New consortium members are expected to play a significant role in advancing AI research. The University of Rochester, with its extensive medical research network, will drive AI-powered healthcare innovations. RIT’s AI Hub, which focuses on education and workforce development, will contribute expertise in responsible AI adoption. Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, ranked as the top medical school for AI research, will leverage its expertise to enhance AI’s role in public health.
Empire AI’s expansion aligns with Hochul’s broader technology agenda, which includes initiatives in semiconductor research, life sciences, and sustainable energy. Her administration has spearheaded significant public-private investments, including Micron’s $100 billion semiconductor megafab project in Central New York and GlobalFoundries’ $11.6 billion chip manufacturing expansion.
With increased collaboration between research institutions and state-of-the-art infrastructure, Empire AI is poised to drive technological breakthroughs while creating high-quality jobs and strengthening New York’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
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