Nsf Announces New Ai Investments Aimed at Diversifying Research Community

"This is not just about advancing AI; it's about ensuring that AI innovation supports and benefits the entire nation, leaving no one behind."

So says the director of the National Science Foundation's Expanding AI Innovation through Capacity Building and Partnerships program, which awarded seven grants Tuesday "to expand and diversify the research community" in the field of artificial intelligence, per a release.

The projects include building out the research infrastructure at Texas A&M International University, with a focus on Hispanic and female students, and supporting faculty and students at Bowie State University and other Maryland-based historically Black colleges and universities to help address the underrepresentation of African Americans in the AI industry, the Washington Post reports.

"Through these ExpandAI awards, we are taking significant steps toward a future where AI serves the needs of all communities, not just a select few," NSF Director Sethuramannathan says.

The grants come as the Biden administration has indicated it's prioritizing diversity when it comes to hiring AI professionals in the federal government.

That effort, however, runs up against an AI workforce that appears to lack diversity in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity.

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