Biden's AI research project secures pledges from tech giants
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched a pilot program in the US, called the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR). It has teamed up with ten other agencies and AI developers like Microsoft and NVIDIA, for the same. This initiative, part of President Joe Biden's executive order on AI, aims to make AI research more accessible across the country.
NAIRR offers resources for US-based AI researchers
NAIRR offers US-based AI researchers access to AI models, datasets, software, computing power, and training. Researchers have to apply for access via NAIRR's website, with a second call for research proposals set for later this year. Approved researchers can use costly services like Amazon Bedrock and Microsoft Azure without dipping into their research funds. The government is working with 15 private partners. They include Amazon Web Services, OpenAI, Palantir, Anthropic, Google, Hugging Face, AMD, EleutherAI, Meta, IBM, and Intel.
These government agencies are working on NAIRR
NSF is not the only government agency to work on NAIRR. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are part of the project. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the US Patent and Trademark Office, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Energy, also serve as collaborators.
Tech companies contribute to NAIRR
Microsoft has contributed Azure credits worth $20 million, resources for AI fairness, accuracy, and privacy, and access to models in the Azure OpenAI service. NVIDIA is offering access to its AI Enterprise software and DGX Cloud. To note, NAIRR emphasizes ensuring access to diverse AI resources, delivering AI research requiring security and privacy, educating communities using AI tools, and facilitating interoperability between AI platforms. The first projects under NAIRR will focus on using AI in environmental sustainability and healthcare.
Why is NAIRR necessary?
Describing the need for NAIRR, NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan said, "To continue leading in AI research and development, we must create opportunities across the country to advance AI innovation and strengthen educational opportunities." "This will empower the nation to shape international standards and ignite economic growth," he added. As per the Harvard Business Review, the US, China, Japan, the UK, and Germany, are the top five nations focusing on AI development.
