Federal funding of $10 million has been secured by Washington Sen. Patty Murray to enhance AI research capabilities at the University of Washington (UW). The funding aims to expand the necessary infrastructure for data-heavy AI workloads, ensuring that advancements in artificial intelligence are not solely influenced by private interests.
During her visit to UW's research facilities, Murray emphasized the importance of public universities in guiding AI developments to benefit society, highlighting applications in healthcare and workforce training. The funding will support the university's new computing platform, Tillicum, which was launched in October.
Andrew Connolly, director of the eScience Institute, stated that this investment would facilitate quicker research cycles and broaden access, decreasing dependence on commercial cloud services. Magdalena Balazinska, director of the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, noted that public institutions prioritize societal needs over profit, contrasting their mission with that of private companies.