The US government just rolled out a new resource for AI developers

The US government is piloting a new resource it says will help to “democratize” AI research as part of President Biden’s recent executive order around the technology.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and 10 other federal agencies have teamed with 25 private sector companies and nonprofit organizations to make assets like “advanced computing, datasets, models, software, training, and user support [available] to US-based researchers and educators.” Researchers can apply for access to the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) through an online pilot portal.

The goal of the new hub is to coordinate between the public and private sectors to catalyze AI research and ensure the country remains a leader in the new boom on the world stage.

“To continue leading in AI research and development, we must create opportunities across the country to advance AI innovation and strengthen educational opportunities, empowering the nation to shape international standards and igniting economic growth,” NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan said in a statement.

Among the private sector partners in the effort are OpenAI, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon Web Services, Databricks, IBM, Hugging Face, and Google. Microsoft also announced separately that it would be contributing $20 million in Azure compute credits and access to Azure OpenAI models. Nvidia said it has committed to $30 million in tech contributions over two years.

The resource portal will be organized around four focus areas: opening access to diverse resources, privacy and security, interoperability, and reaching “new communities through education…and outreach.”

NAIRR is just one of the ways Biden promised to foster and guide AI research and development in a sweeping executive order signed last fall. The White House also set out some impending deadlines around developing more specific rules on and resources for the creation and training of foundational models.