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Colleges are increasingly investing in artificial intelligence (AI) programs to enhance workforce readiness and attract students. Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, AI has become a focal point in higher education. Many institutions are offering specialized degrees, minors, and certificates in AI, particularly within computer science and engineering disciplines. For example, the University of Pennsylvania provides both undergraduate and master's degrees in AI engineering.​

Beyond technical programs, universities are integrating AI literacy into various fields. The University of Florida, for instance, is embedding AI education across all undergraduate and graduate programs, including disciplines like bioinformatics, hospitality, and public health. Additionally, the American Association of Colleges and Universities is collaborating with 124 institutions to incorporate AI into curricula through its Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum.​

These initiatives aim to equip students with the skills necessary for a workforce increasingly influenced by AI technologies.

A recent Newsday article highlights the launch of New York's Empire AI Consortium, which aims to leverage artificial intelligence to tackle societal challenges such as climate change, cybersecurity, and hunger. The initiative is supported by over $400 million in funding from both government and private sectors. A key component of this effort is a $7 million supercomputer donated by the Simons Foundation, established by the late James Harris Simons, a former mathematics department chair at Stony Brook University and founder of Renaissance Technologies. The supercomputer will be housed at the University at Buffalo, serving as a central hub for AI research. Stony Brook University is actively involved in the consortium, with Professor Robert Harrison, founding director of the Institute for Advanced Computational Science, appointed as the interim director of Empire AI. This collaboration underscores New York's commitment to advancing AI-driven scientific discovery and technological innovation.

Stony Brook University researchers Chao Chen and Prateek Prasanna have been awarded a four-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to develop TopoQuant, an advanced imaging tool for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. This tool aims to detect subtle changes in breast tissue architecture using a combination of two- and three-dimensional imaging techniques, including tomosynthesis, MRI, and conventional mammography. By integrating mathematical modeling and machine learning, TopoQuant seeks to enhance the early detection of cancer and assess treatment responses. Clinical collaborators from radiology, radiation oncology, surgery, and pathology will assist in evaluating the tool's effectiveness. Beyond breast cancer, the deep learning framework developed could have broader applications in analyzing medical images for various conditions.

Stony Brook University’s AI Institute is at the forefront of addressing the challenges posed by AI-driven resume screening. As reported by Newsday, AI tools are increasingly used by HR departments to manage the growing volume of job applications. These systems can process thousands of resumes in minutes, but concerns about potential bias and the lack of nuanced understanding have been raised. Steven Skiena, director of the AI Institute at Stony Brook, emphasizes the need for careful implementation of AI in recruitment to ensure fairness and effectiveness.​