MEMPHIS, Tenn — With the announcement of Elon Musk bringing his xAI supercomputer to the bluff city, the University of Memphis said it is investing $1 million to boost artificial intelligence learning and research.
President Bill Hardgrave said in a news release Thursday the investment will help make the U of M a leading center for workforce training in AI.
“The arrival of xAI is a perfect fit with the technology innovation ecosystem of Memphis, which is centered around the University as a top-tier Carnegie R1 research institution,” said Hardgrave. “We have much to offer in terms of talent, workforce training and cutting-edge research.”
“Artificial intelligence today is not a niche specialty area. It has broad-based application across a myriad of domains requiring a range of knowledge, abilities and skills,” said Provost David Russomanno. “We will offer a wide range of educational experiences across the University, including degree programs and stackable micro-credentials customized by context and topic, reflecting student and workforce needs. Going forward, we will provide opportunities for all our students to understand and apply AI.”
The U of M leaders said the school has been leading in AI application in several sectors, including education, healthcare, and transportation. They said the FedEx Institute of Technology maintains a large group of faculty members working in AI research.
School leaders said with one of the largest computer science programs in Tennessee, enrollment in AI-aligned departments at the U of M has doubled in the past three fiscal years, much of that from master’s level candidates.
The school also said recent federal funding such as the NSF-funded CyberCorps program will help to connect students to high-paying jobs across the region.
