NSF-led National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force Releases Final Report
Today, the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force released its final report, a roadmap for standing up a national research infrastructure that would democratize access to the resources essential to artificial intelligence (AI) research and development.
Established by the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, the NAIRR Task Force is a federal advisory committee. Co-chaired by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Task Force has equal representation from government, academia, and private organizations. Following its launch in June 2021, the Task Force embarked on a rigorous, open process that culminated in this final report. This process included 11 public meetings and two formal requests for information to gather public input.
“Democratizing access to the cyberinfrastructure that fuels AI research and development will enable all of America’s diverse AI researchers to participate in exploring innovative ideas for advancing AI, including communities, institutions, and regions that have been traditionally underserved,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “By creating an equitable cyberinfrastructure for cutting-edge AI that builds on-ramps for participation for a wide range of researchers and communities, the NAIRR could build AI capacity across the nation and support responsible AI research and development, thereby driving innovation and ensuring long-term U.S. competitiveness in this critical technology area.”
While AI research and development in the United States is advancing rapidly, opportunities to pursue cutting-edge AI research and new AI applications are inaccessible to students and researchers not at well-resourced companies, organizations, and academic institutions. A NAIRR would change that by providing AI researchers and students with significantly expanded access to computational resources, high-quality data, educational tools, and user support—fueling greater innovation and advancing AI that serves the public good.
“Implementing the recommendations of this report will enable the development of AI for years to come,” said NAIRR Task Force co-chair and NSF Office Director of the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Manish Parashar. “NSF is proud to support this task force and help lead our Nation’s AI-related research and development towards a more equitable future.”