Washington, DC - On May 10, 2018, the White House convened academic researchers, industry experts and federal leaders at an event on Artificial Intelligence for American Industry. National Science Foundation (NSF) Director France Córdova participated in the event and issued the following statement.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every segment of American industry. It is making agriculture more precise and efficient, giving us new medical diagnostics that save lives, and creating the promise of autonomous transportation and advanced manufacturing. NSF is proud to stand with the White House and the rest of the federal science and technology enterprise to ensure that our nation’s values are reflected in the development of critical technologies such as AI. NSF's investments to nurture AI over the last several decades have laid the foundation upon which today's breakthroughs are being built.
As we look even further into the future, NSF is supporting fundamental research to bring AI technologies to maturity, thereby enhancing the lives of all Americans. These AI advances span how computer systems represent knowledge, learn, process spoken and written language, and solve problems; and demonstrate how they ultimately appreciate intent, meaning and understanding more like humans. Today, NSF invests over $100 million annually to support AI research.
In addition to funding researchers who are exploring the frontiers of AI, we are also making investments that will lead to a more data-capable, 21st-century workforce with the skills to harness all the potential benefits that AI can offer. As part of these investments, we are supporting approaches that will expand our understanding of continuing education and adult retraining to address how AI reshapes and provides new opportunities for American workers.
The effects of AI will be profound. To stay competitive, all companies will, to some extent, have to become AI companies. We are striving to create AI that works for them, and for all Americans.