The Capital Region’s “Tech Valley” has become a globally recognized hub for nanotechnology—and a recent announcement by IBM will help to build even further on that reputation.  Earlier this month, New York State and IBM announced a research partnership to create an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hardware Center at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute campus in Albany. The AI Hardware Center, home to AI-focused computer chip research, prototyping, testing and simulation, is part of the company’s $2+ billion investment at the Albany campus and at the IBM Watson Research Center at Yorktown Heights.

New York State will also partner with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to support the project, which will draw other high-tech companies to become members of the AI Hardware Center. Initial member companies include Applied Materials, Samsung and Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL). 

The research partnership between New York State and IBM will have innovative and educational impacts to the SUNY campuses, at Albany and beyond, with IBM planning to invest in SUNY-wide artificial intelligence-related research—at least $30 million in both cash and in-kind contributions—with a SUNY match of up to $25 million. IBM will also continue to partner and grow, through at least 2023, with SUNY Poly’s Center for Semiconductor Research.

The AI Hardware Center is part of a newly created ESD and SUNY partnership—the New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering and Science (NY CREATES)—that is leading projects to grow the state’s high-tech economy. NY CREATES is streamlining management of SUNY Poly’s economic development portfolio and ensuring the integrity, transparency and accountability of state-supported tech projects.

A 2018 Georgetown University report recently confirmed the Tech Valley’s draw as a high-tech R&D destination, citing more than 60,000 jobs in the region that are attributable to nanotechnology.