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New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a major investment in artificial intelligence research, comparing it to the historic significance of the Erie Canal. The Empire AI initiative, funded with $400 million in public and private funds, aims to create a large-scale AI computing center at the University at Buffalo that will be accessed by a consortium of leading universities. Hochul emphasized that this initiative will provide access to AI technology for researchers, public interest organizations, and smaller tech companies, potentially creating thousands of jobs and revitalizing the upstate economy. The state budget provides $275 million in grants and other funding, with an additional $125 million coming from private sources and the universities involved.
