UMass Will Recruit Students to Work on AI Projects for Social Good

Source: UMass News & Media

The Healey-Driscoll administration has launched a new partnership with UMass Amherst to recruit a cohort of students to work full-time in collaboration with Massachusetts state agencies on experiential AI projects for social good. The program, which will be guided by the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, builds on the success of InnovateMA, through which the administration partnered with Northeastern University to deploy co-op students to work alongside state agency partners in using AI to improve the delivery of services and programs for Massachusetts residents. In addition to serving as an accelerator of state adoption of GenAI, these higher ed partnerships are a successful talent pipeline for the state, as the majority of the first student cohort have come to work in agencies as either interns or full-time staff members.

The project was announced Dec. 19 at a press conference at the Museum of Science in Boston, at which Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll – along with leaders from the AI ecosystem including UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes and UMass President Marty Meehan – unveiled the Massachusetts AI Hub, a groundbreaking effort to make Massachusetts a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation. This pioneering initiative will drive cutting-edge collaboration between government, industry, startups and academia, pursue solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, and unlock economic opportunity for businesses and residents across the state.

The Massachusetts AI Hub will be established at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech), the state’s quasi-public economic development agency focused on advancing technology and innovation, and will leverage resources authorized in the Mass Leads Act to support AI initiatives and the creation of an AI Hub in Massachusetts.
 
Also unveiled was a partnership with the nonprofit Massachusetts Green High Performance Computer Center (MGHPCC) in Holyoke – a joint venture of the University of Massachusetts system, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston, Harvard and Northeastern Universities – to expand access to sustainable high-performance computing that is necessary for AI innovation. Through the partnership, public and private higher education institutions, startups and businesses in the innovation ecosystem, and the residents of Massachusetts will be able to access this vital infrastructure. This partnership will involve joint investments from Massachusetts and MGHPCC partner universities that are expected to exceed more than $100 million over the next five years as it scales.

“Since the founding of our country, Massachusetts has pioneered revolutionary innovations that changed human history, from developing the first computer to creating lifesaving vaccines. Today, we are building on that longstanding legacy with the Massachusetts AI Hub,” Healey said at the event. “Through the AI Hub, we will set the standard for AI development by supporting trailblazing research, attracting and retaining unparalleled AI talent, and transforming our state into the global leader in applied AI innovation, solving the greatest challenges facing our society today.”

“We have an opportunity to make our state the best place in the world for collaborative and responsible AI innovation,” Driscoll said. “The Massachusetts AI Hub draws from our state’s existing strengths, including our unparalleled innovation ecosystem, world-class universities, highly skilled talent and revolutionary spirit, to advance transformative technologies and power economic opportunity for all.”

“Our partnership with Governor Healey and Secretary Snyder will help students and faculty find ways in which the responsible use of AI can help the commonwealth be more efficient and responsive to citizens’ needs while providing both important experiential learning and potential public service career opportunities to our students,” Reyes said in a statement of support for the new hub and projects. “I am proud that UMass Amherst continues to fulfill its mission as a land grant university to provide teaching, research and public service to benefit people in Massachusetts, the nation and the world.”

“Artificial intelligence represents one of the most transformative technological developments of our time, and I am extremely proud of the significant role UMass played in the efforts of the AI Task Force. Because of the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and the work of the AI Task Force, Massachusetts is now better-positioned to lead the nation in harnessing the potential of AI in a way that is ethical and prioritizes equity and access,” Meehan added. “I want to recognize Michael Milligan for co-chairing this vital initiative, and for his tireless dedication to ensuring that the commonwealth remains at the forefront of the ethical use of AI. As the commonwealth’s public research university, we will live up to our mission and educate the workforce that will power this industry into the future, encourage our faculty in their groundbreaking research in this field, and support the state’s economic development aspirations.”

“I am deeply honored to have served as co-chair of the AI Task Force and to have collaborated with such an extraordinary group of leaders and experts from across the commonwealth,” Milligan, UMass CIO and Task Force co-chair said. “AI will undoubtedly impact – if it hasn’t already – every industry and every individual in the commonwealth. By prioritizing equity and access, and developing strategies for responsible and effective AI use, we can ensure that AI serves as a force for good. We believe that these recommendations provide a strong foundation for a future where AI benefits everyone in the commonwealth.”

The full announcement, including complete details about the Massachusetts AI Hub, can be found on the Healey-Driscoll Administration website here.