Governor Hochul Announces First Empire AI Supercomputer Projects from the University at Albany

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the first Empire AI supercomputer projects from the University at Albany. Stemming from a partnership between UAlbany’s world-renowned RNA Institute and their partners at the University of Rochester, the newest member of the Governor’s Empire AI Consortium, researchers will now have access to New York State’s Empire AI supercomputer housed at the University at Buffalo.

“Empire AI is an incredible tool that allows us to harness the power of technology and innovation to change lives for the better,” Governor Hochul said. “By bringing together researchers from UAlbany and the University of Rochester and the power of Empire AI, we are paving the way to unlocking treatments for devastating diseases. This is not just research, it's proof that New York is building a brighter and healthier future for everyone.”

The UAlbany work is the latest in a series of research projects that are up and running at the first “Alpha” phase of the Empire AI computing center. UAlbany researchers will work with UR colleagues to use computer vision and AI to analyze the recorded movements of patients with neuromuscular diseases like myotonic dystrophy (DM), the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy. Researchers hope to use the Empire AI system to develop innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like DM, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and spinocerebellar ataxias.

The work will be funded by approximately $230,000 in matching grants from the Muscular Dystrophy Association to UAlbany and UR, along with more than $2 million from the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Defense.

Empire AI is now backed by more than $500 million in public and private funding and is made up of 10 member universities and research institutions. Governor Hochul secured funding in May to expand access for SUNY researchers at UAlbany, Binghamton University, the University at Buffalo (which houses Empire AI), and Stony Brook University, and support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They join the seven founding members of Empire AI, SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, NYU, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute. Empire AI is the Governor's nation-leading initiative to advance AI research for the public good, led by an independent consortium of members and Empire State Development.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Artificial intelligence is one of the most powerful tools we have to drive economic development and tackle society’s most complex challenges. From accelerating life-saving biomedical discoveries to improving public services and infrastructure, AI is unlocking solutions that were once out of reach. By investing in cutting-edge technologies like the Empire AI supercomputer and supporting research institutions across New York, we are not only fostering innovation and job growth, but also empowering scientists, educators, and entrepreneurs to improve lives and solve problems in the public interest. This is how we build a smarter, stronger, and more equitable future for all New Yorkers.”

Today, State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. joined researchers, undergraduates, and high school students at UAlbany to announce the launch of the new Empire AI projects during World RNA Day.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY is at the forefront of research innovation due to the significant investment our state is making in harnessing artificial intelligence for the public good. The more we can place AI supercomputing power in the hands of our university researchers, the better positioned we will be to protect the public health and wellbeing moving forward. We are thankful for the resources provided by Governor Hochul and our State Legislature, and grateful to our faculty and staff for the research and education they provide.”

Chair of the SUNY Board of Trustees Research and Economic Development Committee and SUNY Trustee Courtney Burke said, “The investments Governor Hochul and our state leaders have made in academic research and the Empire AI project will help ensure New York State is at the cutting edge of ensuring this technology is used to improve lives. SUNY’s faculty and staff are among the best in the world, and we are continually in awe of their vision to advance science and commitment to academic excellence. Access to AI fuels their research and takes them in new exciting directions, and in doing so they inspire our students to think differently.”

Empire AI Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison said, “Democratizing AI research is at the heart of Empire AI's mission, and expanding access for researchers at New York's public institutions of higher education is a critical part of reaching that goal. This exciting work between the University at Albany and University of Rochester is the latest example of the collaboration that is enhanced by this project, and none of it would be possible without Governor Hochul, whose visionary leadership has positioned New York at the forefront of AI development and innovation.”

UAlbany’s RNA Institute has long been an epicenter of RNA-focused R&D. Total RNA Institute funding last year was $15.8 million in new grants from New York State, DOD, NIH, the National Science Foundation, and industry partners. While the RNA Institute offers faculty state-of-the-art facilities and advanced computational modeling on campus, it is also educating the next generation of New York’s biotechnology workforce. During Chancellor King’s visit today, he reviewed undergraduate student RNA research conducted as a part of Chancellor’s Summer Research Program, which is in its third year. He also met with high school students from as far as California and Minnesota who participated in UAlbany’s RNA Institute High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp.

University at Albany President Havidán Rodríguez said, “At the University at Albany, research that benefits the public good is always at the forefront. The RNA Institute projects that will use the AI Supercomputer exemplify the incredible potential of AI-powered research to benefit the lives of New Yorkers. By leveraging the new Empire AI Supercomputer, our researchers and their collaborators at the University of Rochester will be able to amplify and accelerate their groundbreaking work to find treatments for devastating diseases. We are grateful to SUNY and New York State for ensuring that our researchers have the most advanced tools available to further their important work.”

University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf said, “The University of Rochester is home to the New York State Center of Excellence in Data Science & AI, and last year we partnered with New York State and UAlbany to create a new Center of Excellence in RNA Research & Therapeutics (CERRT). This collaboration was built on decades of pioneering work in RNA biology and muscular dystrophy where our scientists have developed transformative strategies to neutralize toxic RNA in myotonic dystrophy. We are proud to partner again with Governor Hochul and our UAlbany colleagues in this initiative to harness the Empire AI supercomputer for accelerating breakthroughs in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disease research. By integrating AI-powered computer vision with our deep RNA expertise, we aim to unlock new therapeutic pathways and, ultimately, improve patients’ lives.”

State Senator Toby Stavisky said, “I visited the Nanotechnology Center at UAlbany a number of years ago and was impressed by their supercomputing capabilities. This was prior to the launch of New York’s AI supercomputer based at UB through the Empire AI Consortium. It’s exciting to see this investment already paying off with groundbreaking research on neurodivergent diseases through this partnership with UAlbany, UB, and the University of Rochester. I commend Governor Hochul and SUNY Chancellor King for driving New York’s leadership in medical innovation through the use of AI.”

Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “Supporting an equitable and diverse array of research is essential to the success and longevity of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in New York, and to the economic vitality of communities throughout the state. The Empire AI supercomputer will build on the knowledge and skills of top RNA researchers at UAlbany and UR to establish a pipeline of talent focused on critical, life-saving research. Through funding I secured in the Assembly, UAlbany and UR were able to partner to launch the Center of Excellence in RNA Research and Therapeutics. With investments from Governor Hochul to advance this work using the Empire AI supercomputer, New York is demonstrating the incredible importance of pairing technology with brilliant minds to drive transformative research that will result in a brighter future for those New Yorkers impacted by debilitating conditions.”

About University at Albany RNA Institute
Launched in June 2010, the RNA Institute conducts cutting-edge research for development and delivery of innovative medicines, vaccines and diagnostics in state-of-the-art labs that allow researchers from around the globe to design new RNA technologies and drug therapies. In addition to core biomedical research facilities, the Institute’s resources include advanced computational modeling to investigate potential treatments that prevent or shut down the toxic RNA that fuels some diseases. AI helps in that fight by analyzing the large number of possible RNA shapes and small molecule interactions in much less time than a traditional trial-and-error approach, thereby significantly accelerating the drug-development process in hopes of getting safe, effective medicines to patients faster. Last year, UAlbany and UR partnered to launch a new state-funded Center of Excellence in RNA Research and Therapeutics to focus on building New York’s biotechnology workforce. Increasingly, that also means understanding how AI is a critical tool in developing new medicines

About the University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private research universities, renowned for its commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and academic excellence. Guided by its motto, "Meliora"—Ever Better—the University fosters groundbreaking research and transformative education across its schools and centers. It is at the forefront of artificial intelligence research and innovation, leveraging AI to address complex challenges in areas such as healthcare, data science, and human-computer interaction. It is also a hub for pioneering research in RNA science. The University of Rochester Center for RNA Biology brings together experts in molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry to explore RNA’s critical roles in cellular processes and its potential in therapeutic development. For more information, visit: https://www.rochester.edu/

About The State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.