NSF has awarded a $7 million grant to Chishiki.ai, an innovative project spearheaded by Assistant Professor Krishna Kumar from The Oden Institute's Center for Autonomy at The University of Texas at Austin and in collaboration with Cornell University. Chishiki.ai is a groundbreaking initiative designed to revolutionize the field of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). The project aims to strengthen U.S. infrastructure by building a sustainable, diverse, and integrated community of Computational Infrastructure Professionals (CIPs) across AI and CEE sectors.
This initiative aligns closely with the priority areas outlined in both the 2020 National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act and the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Chishiki project leverages four primary strategies to cultivate a sustainable, diverse, and integrated community of CIPs:
- Promoting Collaboration: Initiatives like research summits, fellowships, joint research, and industrial partnerships encourage cooperation between CIPs and domain experts.
- AI-Powered Learning Environments: The project offers scalable, personalized learning platforms, enhancing the educational experience in CEE.
- Developing AI-Enabled CI Architectures: This includes creating efficient, reproducible workflows for CIPs.
- Fostering Diversity: By engaging with historically underrepresented institutions, the project aims to create a more inclusive CIP community.
Chishiki.ai aims to have a substantial impact by benefiting over 500 CIPs across the nation and training over 300,000 users globally. Its deliverables will be accessible on NSF-funded platforms like DesignSafe and the Texas Advanced Computing Center, facilitating widespread adoption of AI-enhanced Critical Infrastructure (CI) innovations. Additionally, the project intends to provide full financial support to both graduate and undergraduate students involved in its implementation.
More Information:
