Here is new announcements from NSF about the National AI Research Institutes and Call for Proposals. Is anybody interested in pursuing this?

From: Gianchandani, Erwin <egiancha@nsf.gov>
To: CISE-ANNOUNCE
Subj: NSF launches the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes program

Dear Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Community,

I am pleased to let you know that, earlier today, the National Science Foundation (NSF) launched a new program – the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes – to significantly advance research and the future workforce in AI.  This activity – a partnership spanning all NSF directorates and offices as well as the US Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate, US Department of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration, and US Department of Veterans Affairs – anticipates an approximately $200 million investment in long-term AI research over the next six years.

The National AI Research Institutes program initially comprises two tracks.  The Planning track will support smaller planning grants to enable teams to develop collaborative plans and capacity for future full Institute operations.  The Institute track will provide multidisciplinary, multi-institutional teams with up to $20 million per team over five years to advance AI research in an initial set of areas:

• Trustworthy AI;
• Foundations of Machine Learning;
• AI-Driven Innovation in Agriculture and the Food System;
• AI-Augmented Learning;
• AI for Accelerating Molecular Synthesis and Manufacturing; and
• AI for Discovery in Physics.

Today’s program announcement follows an Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence that the President signed back in February, as well as the release of the 2019 Update to the National AI Research & Development Strategic Plan.  It also comes on the heels of a recent community visioning effort for AI research.

The National AI Research Institutes will continue NSF’s long history of support for fundamental AI research – and truly build upon the great vision and work of the CISE community, together with that of the many other disciplines and sectors of our economy contributing to, and enabled by, AI innovations.

Finally, I’d like to extend my thanks to all those who have made this solicitation possible – particularly our colleagues in CISE, the other NSF directorates/offices, and the other federal agencies that have partnered with us to make this vision a reality.

For more information, please see the National AI Research Institutes program solicitation, as well as the press release that NSF issued earlier today.

Best,

Erwin

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Erwin Gianchandani
NSF Acting Assistant Director for CISE

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From: Kautz, Henry A <hkautz@nsf.gov>
To: IIS_NEWS
Subj: Announcing the Program Solicitation for National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes

We are thrilled to announce a solicitation for National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes!  Each institute award will be up to $20 million over 5 years.  We currently have $200 million committed for funding.  These awards are on the scale of NSF Engineering Research Centers and are twice the size of CISE Expedition awards!

National AI Research Institutes are made possible by partnerships across NSF and across federal agencies.  In addition to CISE, support is coming from BIO, EHR, ENG, GEO, MPS, SBE, and OIA.  External partners are the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.  We are working to further expand our partnerships and the scale of the program in future years.

See the press release:

https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299329&org=NSF&from=news

and the program page:

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505686

In addition to full institute proposals for the six 2020 themes, we are seeking proposals for planning grants of up to $500,000.  Institute themes for 2021 and beyond will be based on concepts from the planning grants as well as concepts developed in NSF and our other partners.

We believe National AI Research Institutes will be truly transformative for the US AI research ecosystem.  We are grateful to our colleagues across government and the efforts of the scientific community that helped us shape and realize this vision.

Now – everyone to work on your proposals!

Henry Kautz
National Science Foundation
Room W10138
hkautz@nsf.gov
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