Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a major leap forward in New York’s artificial intelligence (AI) leadership. Hochul approved $40 million to launch the Empire AI Beta supercomputer. The funding, greenlit by the Empire State Development Board, marks a pivotal milestone in expanding the state’s AI research infrastructure. Also, it pushes the mission of Empire AI: responsible, public-interest-driven innovation.
The University at Buffalo will house the Empire AI Beta. It will be 11 times more powerful than the current Alpha system launched in 2024. Leveraging NVIDIA’s next-generation DGX GB200 and SuperPOD platform, Beta will bring a 40-fold increase in AI inference capability. Also, an eightfold jump in data storage, serving hundreds of researchers from 10 member institutions across the state.
“With Empire AI, New York is leading in emerging technology and ensuring the power of AI is harnessed for public good,” said Governor Hochul. “The launch of Beta will supercharge our efforts to advance responsible AI development by some of our brightest minds.”
The initiative builds on $90 million secured in this year’s FY26 budget and now totals more than $500 million in public and private investment. Empire AI unites 10 institutions including SUNY, CUNY, Columbia, NYU, Cornell, RPI, the Flatiron Institute, and new members like the University of Rochester, RIT, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
It’s expected to be among the most powerful academic AI systems in the world, empowering research in fields like cancer diagnostics, climate modeling, and equitable tech development.
“Empire AI is a public AI research powerhouse designed to benefit everyone,” said Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison. “Beta unlocks groundbreaking innovation for New York’s communities, economy, and national security.”
Learn more at empireai.edu.
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