§9431 National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes

Summary

If money is available, the National Science Foundation must run a program that gives grants to plan, start, and support a network of artificial intelligence research institutes. Other federal agencies, like the Departments of Energy and Commerce, can also give money. The institutes must focus on either a specific economic or social area (for example health, education, manufacturing, or energy) or a cross-cutting AI challenge (like trustworthiness or basic science). Each institute must include work on ethics, safety, and social effects. They must partner with colleges, industry, nonprofits, federal and state or Tribal governments, and other groups. Institutes should help turn research into real tools, support research and education across fields, and grow the AI workforce with attention to historically underrepresented communities. Grants can pay for things like secure, shared data sets; testbeds to try AI systems; research and teaching that address social, economic, health, scientific, or security problems; computing and data access; technical help; and outreach to broaden participation. Grants start for 5 years and an institute can apply for another 5 years after a merit review. Applications must follow agency rules. Awards are competitive and peer-reviewed by diverse experts and should avoid needless overlap. The NSF will set up an “Artificial Intelligence Leadership Network” to coordinate the institutes. All funded institutes and subawardees must be based in the United States.