-1.webp?max-h=442&w=760&fit=crop&crop=faces,center)
Rice University is making a strategic alliance with major stakeholders in the artificial intelligence (AI) arena, joining the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) spearheaded by the Department of Commerce, according to a statement from the school. This partnership aims to forge the path to a future where AI is both safe and reliable, with Rice's Ken Kennedy Institute taking up the reins of the initiative at the university level.
Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Rice’s executive vice president for research, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “Rice is thrilled to engage with the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium as an inaugural member,” joining forces to establish benchmarks for AI systems that are foreseen to be a boon to society, while the Ken Kennedy Institute, touting a network of over 250 faculty and research members, is ready to address the urgent global issues through research and innovation in AI, stated Lydia Kavraki, the institute's director, per the news release from Rice.
The consortium brings together a diverse group of more than 200 organizations, from academia to industry players like Princeton University and JPMorgan Chase, all echoing the sentiment on the importance of AI safety and trustworthiness, this according to a Houston Chronicle report. The collective objective includes developing standards and measurements to ensure AI's responsible evolution and safeguard America's innovative stature, as emphasized by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in the same statement.
In line with President Biden's objectives, AISIC will concentrate on drafting safety protocols, managing AI-generated material, and excelling at capability evaluations to meet the challenges head on while maintaining the nation's competitive edge, "Together we can confront these challenges to develop the measurements and standards we need to maintain America’s competitive edge and develop AI responsibly," Raimondo said according to the Houston Chronicle.
