Hochul announces new SUNY, IBM investments in AI – Olean Times Herald

ALBANY (TNS) New Yorks state university system is poised to ramp up its focus on generative artificial intelligence and its impact, even as Gov. Kathy Hochul indicated that statewide regulation of the emerging technology is unlikely, especially in the near future.

In remarks delivered at the State University of New Yorks inaugural symposium on artificial intelligence on Monday at the University at Albany, Hochul highlighted an incoming $20 million collaboration between IBM and UAlbany that seeks to better position the states adoption of AI. Hochul sought to portray New York as the geographical nexus of research and job growth in the newly emerging industry, while acknowledging potential pitfalls.

Think about all the possibilities, the good and the bad, Hochul told conference attendees. And if theres bad lets anticipate, lets solve for it now before it becomes embedded in the systems.

But Hochul also said she believes states, including New York, do not have much of a role to play in regulating companies pushing generative AI, which proponents and opponents alike have said has the capacity to cause fundamental changes to entire industries. Hochul said the federal government should instead oversee any regulation of artificial intelligence.

Many have touted artificial intelligences ability to improve automation and some workplaces; others have pointed to potential loss of jobs and increasing risks associated with deep fake technology or other unsavory aspects of machine learning.

For individual states to piecemeal this off, it certainly makes it enormously complicated for all the companies to have 50 states, different regulatory schemes to deal with, Hochul told reporters. I will say this, Im very open-minded to innovations, ideas coming to us or areas where we can protect our citizens.

SUNY will also launch an AI research group tasked with developing the university systems approach to the technology across its dozens of research institutions. Hochul said that the conclusions researchers reach could shape what role governments, including New Yorks, should play in the technology.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. called the system-wide efforts to monitor and pioneer AI-related initiatives crucial to define the quality of our states future.

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Artificial intelligence development and application into education and the workforce has exploded over the past year, with much of the popular attention focused on how we can assure ourselves that student work and even faculty work are original in the context of ChatGPT, King said. But we all understand the potential and the risks are so much bigger than that. AI is intruding upon, improving upon and impacting nearly every area of our lives.

ChatGPT is a language processing tool that uses AI technology to allow someone to have human-like conversations with a chatbot.

In recent years, New York has attempted to position itself as a hub for artificial intelligence and machine learning along with other technological research and development.

Hochul included $75 million last year for the University of Albany, an aggressive early adopter of the technology.

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Hochul announces new SUNY, IBM investments in AI - Olean Times Herald