New Jersey to Establish AI Center at Princeton University

The state government and industry leaders are working with Princeton to launch a research center that will examine how to use artificial intelligence in an ethical manner and train state employees in the technology.

(TNS) — Pitching New Jersey as the East Coast’s answer to Silicon Valley in a rapidly growing and heavily scrutinized technology, Gov. Phil Murphy and other leaders announced Monday the state will establish a formal hub for artificial intelligence research and development at Princeton University.

The project is a partnership between the state government, the Ivy League school, and private companies to explore and harness the technology, which has become an increasingly bigger part of the world in recent years, sparking both wonder and worry.

Murphy predicted AI technology could define “the next decade or more” across the globe, and now both the state and Princeton are “poised to shape the future of this revolutionary field and unleash a new century of game-changing discovery.”

“There is no better place to be a leader in AI than our great Garden State,” the governor added during at a ceremony at the university announcing the plans. “After all, innovation is in our state’s DNA.”

Officials said the center, in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, will conduct research, examine how to use AI in an ethical manner, and train state employees in the technology. Researchers, industry leaders, and startup companies will all be involved, officials said.

Murphy said it will be “a new home for the world’s boldest and brightest to pioneer breakthroughs for the betterment of humankind” — possibly, he noted, by helping develop cures for diseases and methods to combat climate change, as well as boosting the economy with new businesses and jobs.

Officials also announced Princeton and the state will co-host an AI conference at the school on April 11 to discuss the “most pressing AI issues of the day,” University President Christopher Eisgruber said.

But officials did not provide a specific timeline for the center’s rollout. Not did they say how much taxpayer money will be used for the project.

AI has been both praised for the transformational way it generates text, images, audio, video, and other art on command, as well as criticized for making it easier for students, companies, and news organizations to use tools like ChatGPT to produce automated work. There have been concerns about data security and privacy, as well.

Monday’s announcement comes two months after Murphy signed an executive order in October establishing a state government task force to examine the possible benefits and pitfalls of AI and how it can be used responsibly in New Jersey.

Beth Noveck, the state Office of Innovation Chief Innovation Officer, said AI “offers a powerful set of tools” and noted the state government is already utilizing it to bolster public policy and benefits. That includes using it to give business owners customized advice and gather comments about unemployment.

All of this is fitting, officials said, because New Jersey is home to decades of innovation, such as Thomas Edison’s light bulb developments, while Princeton, one of the world’s most renowned schools, is the alma mater of generations of scientific leaders, such as Alan Turing, considered the father of computers.

“Much of the modern world was born right here in New Jersey,” Murphy said.

Now, the governor noted, the state faces “stiffer competition” in northern California’s Silicon Valley, Europe, and East Asia. But, he said, he would still stake New Jersey against any of them.

“Only here in New Jersey will you find that golden combination of talent, location, and a thriving innovation economy,” Murphy said. “And only here will you find Princeton University.”

Princeton Provost Jennifer Rexford said there is already a “palpable:” excitement about AI the school’s campus, saying they often don’t have rooms big enough to host everyone trying to attend events related to the topic.

“We see it in students who flock en masse to any course related to AI on both the undergraduate and at the graduate level” Rexford said. “And you see it in the dissertation work of our Ph.D. students, in the senior theses of our undergrads who are using or advancing AI in the work that they’re doing.”

Murphy also noted Bell Labs, Nokia’s research arm, announced last week it will will leave its historic headquarters in Murray Hill over the next five years to relocate to a new tech hub being built in New Brunswick. That’s about a 20-minute drive from Princeton.

“Now more than ever, Route 1 will be the corridor of innovation,” Murphy said.

“In other words, buckle up,” he added. “Because with the help of everyone here today, New Jersey is going to be at the forefront of the AI revolution.”

©2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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