National Science Foundation Partners with Major AI Labs to Launch AI Resource Pilot

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has partnered with AI companies such as NVIDIA, OpenAI and Google, among others, to launch the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot program.

Other big names joining the NAIRR pilot include Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, Intel, Anthropic, Hugging Face, IBM Meta and Palantir. Also, federal agencies such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), among others are part of the pilot.

The pilot, which is a two-year program, aims to establish a national resource providing researchers and educators access to AI resources along with advanced computing, datasets, models, and software. The objective is to sustain the U.S. leadership in AI research and innovation.

"To continue leading in AI research and development, we must create opportunities across the country to advance AI innovation and strengthen educational opportunities, empowering the nation to shape international standards and igniting economic growth. NSF is proud to lead this effort with our current and future partners," NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in a statement.

Initially, the NAIRR pilot will back AI research to enhance safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, along with its application to address challenges in healthcare, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure.

Furthermore, the NSF emphasized that the launch aligns with the objective outlined in Executive Order 14110, signed by President Joe Biden in October 2023, which directed the NSF to initiate a pilot for NAIRR.