At a press conference held at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) offices in Newark, state officials, higher education leaders, NVIDIA, and the NJ AI HUB signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a statewide supercomputer. The initiative is intended to advance artificial intelligence (AI) research, education, and workforce development across New Jersey.
Governor Phil Murphy described the agreement as a step that will “create a statewide framework that will … advance AI education, workforce development, and research and innovation at scale so we can prepare New Jersey students, innovators and workers to take the [lead] in AI and not get run over by it.” He called it an effort to shape the future of technology in the state.
Murphy also read a statement from Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill. She stated her administration’s support for the project: “This project represents a historic opportunity to expand New Jersey’s economic and educational competitiveness and create a new hub of AI research and development in the Garden State. I am excited to work with all of the partners involved to move this project forward. It will take coordination and teamwork from partners across the state to ensure we maximize the return on investment for New Jerseyans.”
The NJEDA will oversee an investment of approximately $25 million for this initiative. According to Murphy, “The money will be used to support a statewide supercomputer initiative for New Jersey’s institutions of higher learning. This catalytic investment will help equip our students, researchers, and entrepreneurs with state-of-the-art resources to explore the possibility of generative AI and prepare for tomorrow’s economy.”
Christopher Malachowsky, co-founder of NVIDIA and originally from New Jersey, commented on his company’s involvement: “[New Jersey] has put forward the AI Hub and great academic research institutions. … We will use our resources, our expertise, and assets to enhance that vision,” he said. “We are going to enhance economic opportunities and maximize the benefit of what we can get from AI and avoid its downsides.” Malachowsky credited Governor Murphy for his early recognition of AI’s potential impact: “Across the country, it is not common that someone would [make the investment] to ferret out what this new [technology] is and find out about its opportunities and start taking action; to start making investments and create an AI HUB and align schools and industries [in the same direction]. My hat’s off to you governor. We are proud to commit ourselves to working alongside [your state] and using our people and resources to go down this road together.”
Teik Lim, president of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), noted how quickly generative AI is changing industries: “In real time, we are witnessing the power of generative AI and machine learning to transform industry and lives. We are in a technological revolution. The development of the NJ supercomputer initiative presents an opportunity for higher education, government, and industry to partner on a flagship, statewide approach to advancing shared AI infrastructure, education, and research capacity.”
Lim added: “Bringing together NVIDIA, [the state’s research institutions], the New Jersey Council of County Colleges and the AI HUB will marshal the states greatest intellectual and technological resources in this rapidly expanding field and chart a course for providing curricula collaborations, program expansions, AI skills training, infrastructure and platform designs, certifications and carer pathways, community engagement, and the development of an innovative ecosystem.”
