US to Invest $1B in AI and Quantum Computing
By: Cody Debos
Tags: Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Future, AI, Quantum Computing

US to Invest $1B in AI and Quantum Computing

It will pave the way for big advancements in both fields

Image: iStock

The past few years have seen significant advancements in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Now, new U.S. federal funding will help keep that trend going. The government just announced a $1 billion investment in multidisciplinary AI and quantum computing research.

The new funding will be used to fuel the work of 12 research centers. Its purpose is to keep the United States at the forefront of innovation with these emerging technologies. The investment will also rapidly speed up their development and pave the way for world-shaping advancements.

Team Effort

It’s no secret that companies around the world are already investing heavily in artificial intelligence. For tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Tesla, developing new AI solutions is a top priority. Meanwhile, AI is already in use with applications like voice recognition, facial analysis, and healthcare technologies impacting consumers.

Although quantum computing isn’t quite as popular yet, it is a technology that will rapidly redefine what we know about the digital world. The sheer power of quantum computers will help humanity unlock new advancements in areas like environmental sustainability, medicine, and physics.

Due to this impact, the U.S. government is backing an acceleration strategy that has been immensely successful in the past. Pooling the resources of government, private, and university research helps speed up advancements in key areas.

The approach was used for things like building an atomic bomb during World War II with the Manhattan Project, sending humans to the moon via the Apollo program, and a military-funded effort that eventually became the internet.

The $1 billion federal investment will amplify investments already made by the private sector. Dario Gill, head of IBM’s quantum computing program, says that the funds, “give us a road map beyond the next three to five years.”

Dividing Resources

Research in the areas of AI and quantum computing will be done at 12 “hubs” around the United States. This will make it possible for researchers to collaborate while still working on individual projects.

Five quantum computing centers are receiving funding. They are located at the Argonne, Brookhaven, Fermi, Oak Ridge, and Lawrence Berkeley national laboratories. Researchers will investigate everything from material science to quantum networking and quantum sensors.

Meanwhile, AI research will take place at universities. A few institutions selected as partners include Cal Tech, the University of Chicago, Cornell University, Harvard University, Howard University, the University of Maryland, MIT, and the University of Texas.

The project will also receive a boost from private firms like Microsoft and IBM who plan to contribute an additional $300 million in the form of “technology-services donations.”

This likely means that the duo is providing access to cloud computing resources for the various projects.

U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios says, “The future of American economic prosperity and national security will be shaped by how we invest, research, develop and deploy these cutting edge technologies today.”

Indeed, the latest funding for AI and quantum computing will go a long way towards developing these key technologies in the years ahead.