A new partnership between universities in the U.S. and Japan, backed by $110 million from tech corporations, has been established to advance advancements in artificial intelligence. The partnership will involve the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle and the University of Tsukuba in Japan, as well as Carnegie Mellon University and Keio University. NVIDIA and Amazon are each contributing $25 million to the collaboration, along with other backers such as Arm, Microsoft, and nine Japanese companies. The College of Engineering at the UW will lead an interdisciplinary team focused on AI-related research, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and social implementation, with the UW splitting $50 million with the University of Tsukuba to support various initiatives such as research awards, post-doctoral and doctoral students, an undergraduate summer research program, and an entrepreneurship bootcamp program.
The work areas for the partnership may include healthcare, robotics, climate change, and atmospheric science. Washington Governor Jay Inslee expressed excitement about the collaboration, recognizing the importance of providing the research and workforce training needed for the tech sectors in the region to keep up with the rapid advancements in AI technology and its impact on the economy. The partnership was announced in Washington D.C. during Prime Minister Kishida’s visit to the U.S., with a commitment from Kishida and President Biden to promote U.S.-Japan science and technology cooperation. Microsoft also announced a separate investment of $2.9 billion in cloud and AI infrastructure in Japan, highlighting the growing interest in AI development and research in the region.
In addition to the collaboration with the University of Tsukuba, the UW has ongoing connections with Japan through programs like UPWARDS, focused on semiconductor workforce development in partnership with Micron, Tokyo Electron Limited, and the National Science Foundation. The UW has also established partnerships with other international universities, such as the U.S.-China graduate tech institute program with Beijing’s Tsinghua University in 2017, which received support from Microsoft and led to the opening of a Global Innovation Exchange building near Seattle. These partnerships underscore the importance of global collaboration in advancing technology research and innovation in fields like AI and semiconductors.
The partnership between the U.S. and Japan universities, along with the support from tech corporations, aims to leverage the expertise and resources of the participating institutions to drive advancements in AI technology. By focusing on research, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and social implementation, the collaboration seeks to address key challenges and opportunities in various sectors, including healthcare, robotics, climate change, and atmospheric science. The substantial funding provided by NVIDIA, Amazon, and other backers will enable the universities to support research initiatives, train future AI experts, and promote innovation in the field.
The partnership announcement comes at a time when AI technologies are rapidly evolving and transforming industries worldwide. By bringing together the top talent and knowledge from leading universities in the U.S. and Japan, the collaboration is positioned to make significant contributions to the development and application of AI solutions. With the support of government officials and tech giants like Microsoft, the partnership is poised to make a meaningful impact on the tech sectors in both regions and contribute to the global advancement of AI research and technology. The commitment of resources and expertise to AI-related initiatives underscores the significance of international partnerships in driving innovation and shaping the future of technology.
