UB's Expertise in Artificial Intelligence
The University at Buffalo is a leader in realizing AI for good. From research and application to educational programs, UB continues to make strategic investments in people, programs and facilities to enhance the university’s national leadership in AI — including courses that highlight intersectionality between AI and education — to prepare the next generation of students for success. As a flagship university of th State University of New York State, UB is home to Empire AI, the $500 million statewide consortium and supercomputing center to be located on the North Campus that makes the state an international leader in AI research and innovation.
Empire AI
USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF AI
UB is the home base of Empire AI, the $500 million statewide consortium where public and private research institutions can leverage artificial intelligence to address societal challenges. Empire AI is accelerating critical research and innovation and serves as a reliable, trustworthy source of information as technologies continue to evolve.
AI for Social Good
An early pioneer in AI research, today more than 200 faculty are engaged in over 500 AI-infused projects that are shaping the future. Researchers are working at the cutting edge of technology to solve society’s greatest challenges. And, as home to Empire AI—New York State’s $500 million, public-private consortium—UB is poised to realize AI for good long into the future.
AI in Education
UB is the national leader in AI for education. Home to the NSF-funded National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, the instutute is using AI to aid the nearly 3.4 million children in the U.S. with communications and language challenges while the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI is transforming early literacy instruction for K-2 students nationwide.
AI in Healthcare
AI is a critical tool for understanding the contributions to disease, predicting patient responses to drugs and developing medical interventions. UB is shaping the future of human-centered, AI-assisted healthcare through a comprehensive understanding of data as well as the biological and clinical problems underlying patient treatment.
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
National AI Institute for Exceptional Education
The National AI Institute for Exceptional Education (AI4ExceptionalEd) is an NSF-funded National Artificial Intelligence Research Institute led by the University at Buffalo dedicated to assisting children with communications and language challenges.
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
The Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (IAD) unites researchers, labs, institutes and centers of excellence across the University at Buffalo to drive breakthroughs in AI, data science and related fields. By bringing this expertise together, IAD accelerates collaborative research and advances the tools and knowledge needed to solve complex, real‑world problems.
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI
Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI (CELaRAI) is leveraging AI to enhance kindergarten through 2nd-grade reading and writing education for students nationwide. The center’s multidisciplinary research and development efforts will focus on four key thrusts: AI, early literacy, AI ethics and learning sciences.
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
Center for Information Integrity and Security
The Center for Information Integrity and Security (CIIS) is devoted to the identification, amelioration and combating of misleading information in the public sphere.
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors
The Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors (CUBS) is advancing the fundamental science of biometrics and integrating software algorithms for accurate identification (various biometrics) and data analysis (informatics).
Artificial Intelligence Centers and Institutes
Center for Translational AI and Digital Health
The Center for Translational AI and Digital Health advances emerging medical technologies that improve the speed, precision and accessibility in which people receive health care. The center, which taps UB’s strengths in artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering and clinical care, serves as a hub that unites researchers, physicians and industry partners from Western New York and beyond.
Venu Govindaraju, PhD, is senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development, a SUNY Distinguished Professor in Computer Science and serves as UB's Chief AI Officer. He is an internationally recognized research scientist in artificial intelligence who pioneered the Handwriting Interpretation System now used by USPS. He co-chaired the SUNY AI Taskforce, served as co-chair of the SUNY AI Task Group and was an advisor to the SUNY-IBM AI Research Alliance. Throughout his career, Govindaraju has secured more than $97M in research funding, including $20M from the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), that established the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, for which he is Director and PI.
Neeti Pokhriyal
Pokhriyal is a computer scientist with expertise in policy-relevant research related to the responsible design of AI in critical contexts of national security and societal well-being. She serves as director of the Office of AI Innovation and Integration.
Siwei Lyu
Lyu is an internationally known expert in digital media forensics, computer vision and machine learning. He is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, serves as director of the Institute for AI and Data Science and is founding co-director of the Center for Information Integrity and Security.
Wenyao Xu
Xu is an expert in medtech and healthtech with a focus in IoT, cybersecurity and smart health. He is the Carl V. Granger Endowed Chair Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and director of the Center for Translational AI and Digital Health.
New Academic Department
Department of AI and Society
UB's Department of AI and Society, jointly based in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences, is a transdisciplinary hub offering degrees that incorporate AI across academic disciplines. This unique department aims to shape the next generation of visionaries who take tools from society to build AI systems.
The Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) is an AI-powered platform that helps scientists perform drug discovery faster and more effectively. CANDO has spurred numerous biotech startups working on disease treatments and had considerable impact on the health care industry.
Dentite leverages artificial intelligence to streamline medical billing for dental practices. The company's platform automates the process of submitting medical insurance claims for common dental procedures, empowering practices to focus on patient health outcomes and lowering healthcare costs.
Finta AI was built explicitly for creating meaningful investor interactions and automatically driving your funnel forward with AI personalized email scripts, automating users’ fundraising workflow end to end, so they can concentrate building strong relationships.
UB’s AI applications span a vast array of disciplines: From improving medical diagnostics to identifying deepfakes, our researchers utilize AI’s capabilities to solve the world’s most complex challenges.
Going All In on AI | University at Buffalo
An early pioneer in AI research, UB currently has more than 200 faculty researchers working at the cutting edge of the technology to solve society’s greatest challenges. And now, as home to Empire AI—New York State’s $400 million, public-private consortium—we’re poised to advance “AI for good” long into the future.