DURHAM, N.C. (WPTF) — The ribbon was cut in Durham for the first AI institute established by a historically Black college or university.
The Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is housed in a roughly 5,000-square foot building on the northwest corner of Fayetteville and Lawson streets and cost $7.2 million and was funded with a mix of federal Title III grant funding and NCCU trust funds.
Inside, a central space for collaboration is surrounded by the AI Literacy Studio, Machine Learning and Data Science Studio, Robotics and Emerging Tech Lab, XR Innovation Sandbox, Ethics and Governance Classroom and Innovation Atrium.
“Today, we are establishing a framework, a blueprint and a launching point for what ethical, responsible and human-centered artificial intelligence can look like in higher education and beyond,” said Siobahn Grady, Ph.D., founding director of IAIER.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every industry,” said Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon, Ph.D. “We want to not only prepare students but help them shape AI.”
U.S. Congresswoman Valerie Foushee agreed with those sentiments.
“Our future cannot be built by a few tech moguls and billionaires,” said Foushee (NC-04). “The breakthroughs of tomorrow will not just be from Silicon Valley and the largest universities.”
The opening of the IAIER building continues the ramping up of AI education at NCCU. Starting in fall 2025, a module was added to the mandatory Introduction to University Education class for all freshmen.
Starting in fall 2026, a minor in AI will be offered through the NCCU Department of Mathematics and Physics.
IAIER opened in January 2025 with $1 million in funding from Google.org.