| Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash
TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey has partnered with Princeton University to establish a hub for artificial intelligence (AI) activity in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).
The initiative will advance New Jersey’s leadership in AI and catalyze innovation in AI technologies, drive job growth and economic development across the region, promote rapid and responsible field development, and guide governments and public entities on AI implementation.
The initiative will bring together AI researchers, industry leaders, start-up companies, and other collaborators to advance research and development, house dedicated accelerator space, increase the use of ethical AI for positive societal impact, and promote workforce development to support new technology development, in collaboration with other New Jersey universities, community colleges, and vocational schools.
“Indeed, there’s no better place in the nation to build a nexus for AI development than in the heart of New Jersey at Princeton University, which attracts the companies of the future with its robust innovation ecosystem and unparalleled combination of location and talent,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “As these industry leaders seek the next big breakthrough in AI technologies from their labs in Central Jersey, they will help generate economic activity and good-paying jobs in communities across our state.”
Establishing a hub for AI activity in New Jersey will leverage the unique strengths of the region, including Princeton’s leadership in AI technologies, drawing on its institutional strengths in technology policy and education, applications of AI across a range of fields, foundational research on AI techniques and their application, novel hardware platforms and interdisciplinary collaborations on using technology for good. The initiative will also draw on New Jersey’s unique strengths in the health, sustainability, financial, and technology sectors, which have the opportunity to apply artificial intelligence technologies to advance innovative breakthroughs.
“Princeton’s strategic framework recognizes the promise and societal implications of artificial intelligence – as well as the University’s ‘unique capacity’ to meet these challenges,” said Princeton University president Christopher Eisgruber. “Working to establish this hub for AI will further our efforts in this important area while strengthening the regional ecosystem of innovation and advancing Princeton’s teaching and research mission.”
Eisgruber also announced that Princeton and the State will co-host a one-of-a-kind convening on AI at Princeton University on April 11. This conference will bring together leaders from academia, industry, and government to discuss the most pressing AI issues of the day.
New Jersey established an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to study emerging AI technologies and analyze the potential societal impacts of AI. Murphy’s Executive Order directed the task force to prepare recommendations to identify government actions encouraging the ethical use of AI technologies.
In addition, the directive also included a nation-leading initiative to educate New Jersey’s State workforce about the development, use, and risks of AI. The Administration has to evaluate tools and strategies to improve government services through artificial intelligence and explore ways in which artificial intelligence can stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and be deployed by employers to enhance training and talent development, especially for low-income residents.
Beth Noveck, New Jersey Office of Innovation Chief Innovation Officer, said, “the partnership is a testament to our belief that when we harness Princeton’s renowned brainpower and New Jersey’s innovative spirit, there’s no problem too complex, no challenge too great. Together, we embark on a journey where every problem encountered is a step closer to a solution.”
“With the establishment of this AI hub,” she added, “we are not just anticipating the future – we are actively shaping it.”
–With Jay Domingo/PDM
