Governor Hochul Announces $5M Investment in AI at Stony Brook

Stony Brook University will receive $5 million over the next three years from New York State to reimagine its existing Department of Technology and Society in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS), Governor Kathy Hochul announced recently.

The funds will be used to support faculty hiring, graduate and undergraduate research, internships and fellowships, new technology, and other AI-focused efforts in the establishment of a new Department of Technology, AI and Society. 

“Many of our faculty and students are already exploring and applying how artificial intelligence can be integrated and applied to their fields,” said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost. “In keeping with our position as a flagship and top public university, this department will be a first-choice destination for faculty and students who will lead the responsible shaping of the societal impact of artificial intelligence. This department is one more way we are creating pathways for creative inquiry and collaboration, and I am deeply grateful to Dean Singer and our colleagues in CEAS for embracing this opportunity.”

The new Department of Technology, AI and Society will be developed with a new, far-reaching vision that will solidify Stony Brook’s position as a leader in AI and its impact on society. The new department will be built upon and leverage the expertise of the existing Department of Technology and Society. It will facilitate interdisciplinary research and thinking across SBU’s colleges and schools, as well as the new AI Innovation Institute, to explore applications of AI to challenges like energy and the environment, medicine and human health, and technology, arts and society, organized around themes of ethics, equity and justice.

“Though housed in CEAS, this new department will be deeply collaborative and bring together faculty and students from disciplines including computer science and engineering, medicine, psychology, political science and philosophy,” said Andrew C. Singer, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “This is an exciting opportunity, and I’m eager to see it develop across our campus ecosystem, through active participation of so many groups across the campus.”

Already, the Provost’s Office and CEAS Dean’s Office have charged three working groups to help establish the department and develop proposals for unique undergraduate and graduate programs that will draw students from around the country and internationally to study at Stony Brook. 

“This is a tremendous opportunity to take what the Department of Technology and Society is already doing well and expand it and reimagine it into something that is truly special and interdisciplinary,” said Klaus Mueller, interim chair of the CEAS Department of Technology and Society. “Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we experience and explore the world, and now Stony Brook will have a larger chance to shape its future.”

Stony Brook is one of eight SUNY campuses to receive funding to develop departments, centers or institutes focused on artificial intelligence and its impact on society from the state. The others are SUNY Downstate, University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, SUNY ESF, SUNY Poly and Upstate Medical.

“The progression of AI research in New York State is going to inspire other states to follow our path,” Hochul said. “Investing in AI within the SUNY system is an investment in our students to expand their knowledge about what the future will bring. We are not just preparing students for AI – we’re shaping how AI serves society, ensuring it strengthens communities and our economy.”

“Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership, SUNY researchers, faculty, and students are leading the way in using AI to advance the public good,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. SUNY’s commitment to academic excellence includes making it possible for students from a wide range of disciplines to come together, explore new ideas, and develop the skills that will lead to lifelong success.”