'Monumental leap forward': University of Alabama opens artificial intelligence center

Ken Roberts, Tuscaloosa News
·2 min read

The University of Alabama has opened a new center dedicated to the study of artificial intelligence.

The Alabama Center for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, housed within UA’s College of Engineering, will unify new and existing work being done on campus and expand outreach activities connected with AI’s development and applications, according to a news release.

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“The launch of the ALA-AI Center marks a transformative moment in AI research and education here at the University of Alabama and for our state, said Clifford Henderson, the College of Engineering’s dean.

Clifford L. Henderson
Clifford L. Henderson

The ALA-AI Center will showcase “... UA’s unwavering dedication to excellence, innovation, world-class education and in being at the forefront of the research and development of cutting-edge technologies,” Henderson said.

The center was recently approved by the UA System’s board of trustees and is supported in part through a $2 million donation in honor of Marvin A. Griffin, the former chair of UA’s department of computer science.

According to the news release, the center will focus on five concepts:

  • Advancing the science of AI and its machine-learning techniques

  • Promoting human-centered applications of AI that benefit society

  • Ensuring the ethical development, distribution and use of AI technologies

  • Cultivating a workforce and a society that is proficient in AI through lifelong learning initiatives

  • Fostering a vibrant AI research and education community, nurturing collaborations between academia and industry

Jiaqi Gong, a UA associate professor of computer science, has been appointed as the center’s inaugural director.

“The establishment of ALA-AI signifies a monumental leap forward in the realm of AI research and education at UA,” Gong said. “Through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative initiatives, we aim to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities in AI, shaping a brighter future for Alabama and beyond through its responsible development and application.”

Serving as co-directors with Gong will be Sergei Gleyzer, a UA associate professor of physics and astronomy, and Hee Yun Lee, the distinguished professor and endowed academic chair in the UA School of Social Work.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: University of Alabama center to focus on artificial intelligence