Georgia Institute of Technology has received $40 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish two research institutes that will drive artificial intelligence research over the next five years. The institute said Thursday that it will hire 100 new researchers and bolster its studies on machine learning through the awards.
The first institute, called the NSF AI Institute for Collaborative Assistance and Responsive Interaction for Networked Groups or AI CARING, will focus on AI systems designed to improve caregiving for the elderly. Sonia Chernova, an associate professor of interactive computing at Georgia Tech, will lead this institute.
The second one, named the NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization or AI4Opt, will combine AI with mathematics to produce intelligent systems. The institute is also intended to involve more teachers and students in AI development. Pascal Van Hentenryck, an engineering professor at Georgia Tech, will lead this institute.
“These NSF awards recognize Georgia Tech’s vast expertise in machine learning and AI and will help us further develop our resources and amplify our impact in these crucial fields," said Angel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech.
The foundation also awarded an additional $20 million grant to the Georgia Research Alliance, which Georgia Tech supports as an academic institution. GRA will lead the NSF AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education or ALOE, which will drive AI education through online learning.
NSF leads a total of 11 new AI-focused research institutes, including the three newly established ones with Georgia Tech's involvement.