A $10.5 million donation from Tom Secunda, co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., will help fund cutting-edge artificial intelligence research at Cornell Tech in New York City and Cornell’s Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science in Ithaca.
Supporting AI Innovation Through Empire AI
The funding will support Cornell researchers affiliated with Empire AI, a statewide AI initiative launched in 2024 by Gov. Kathy Hochul. The program aims to drive AI innovations for the public good, with a centralized AI computing hub at the University at Buffalo in collaboration with other New York universities.
“By giving these researchers the freedom to explore all the opportunities that this nascent technology has to offer, we are opening up a new world of technological development,” Secunda said.
How the Gift Will Be Used
Secunda’s donation will fund:
- The Cornell Empire AI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, attracting top AI scholars to Cornell Tech and Ithaca.
- An annual AI conference at Cornell Tech, showcasing work by Cornell researchers using Empire AI.
- Expanded access to Empire AI’s computing infrastructure, allowing researchers to develop advanced AI applications more efficiently.
Advancing AI Research and Economic Impact
Provost Kavita Bala emphasized that the gift strengthens Cornell’s position as a national leader in AI research while reinforcing New York state’s leadership in AI innovation.
Greg Morrisett, Dean of Cornell Tech, highlighted how Secunda’s support will accelerate AI advancements and further boost New York City’s growing tech sector.
“Tom’s support allows us to significantly expand our research in AI by attracting an elite cohort of the best researchers in the world,” Morrisett said.
The Future of AI at Cornell
With strong public-private partnerships like Empire AI, Cornell researchers are poised to make breakthroughs in artificial intelligence that will shape the future of technology in New York and beyond.
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