UB solidifies leadership in AI, data science in 2025

It’s been a busy few years at UB.

Highlights include a historic faculty hiring initiative, a building boom like no other, a surging research enterprise and stewarding what’s arguably New York State’s most consequential tech investment in recent memory, Empire AI.

In 2025, the seeds planted by these initiatives and other key investments bore fruit, especially in artificial intelligence and data science. UB launched the Department of AI and Society, which places students at the forefront of the AI revolution by offering courses that blend AI with communications, geography and other disciplines. Faculty researchers utilized Empire AI’s supercomputer — located on UB’s Downtown Campus — to begin numerous AI for social good research projects. And scholars made AI-driven advancements that address everything from drug development and medical imaging to early childhood literacy and wind energy.

All point to UB’s longstanding leadership in AI and its role as New York’s flagship university.

“Built on five decades of investment, expertise and leadership in AI, this work at UB is not new. What has changed is the acceleration of innovation, the pace of adoption and the integration of AI across the university,” said Venu Govindaraju, senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development. “Today, UB is not simply reacting to an evolving landscape. Our more than 200 faculty engaged in over 500 AI-infused projects are shaping the future by advancing AI for the public good.”

Here’s a closer look at how 2025 unfolded.

January

Siwei Lyu and his team at the Center for Information Integrity spent January analyzing deepfakes and other unreliable digital information.

In Agence France-Presse, he debunked an AI-generated video targeting a Pakistan chief minister. In USA Today, he described how images claiming to show apocalyptic scenes from the Los Angeles wildfires were false. In Reuters, he examined what turned out to be a bogus video of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

It’s work that would keep Lyu, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, busy throughout the year as dozens of media outlets worldwide continue to seek his expertise and tools he developed, such as the DeepFake-o-meter, to vet questionable content circulating online.

February

Because AI is new, many people are not comfortable using it. School of Management researchers examined this issue in the workplace. They found that framing AI as highly competent helps build employee trust in AI-driven insights, but once AI makes a major error, that trust sharply declines. The findings underscore the need for organizations to carefully manage how they present AI systems to their staff.

Also discussing trust and AI was Rohini Srihari, professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, in a November episode of Driven to Discover, a University Communications podcast that explores UB’s wide-ranging and impactful research enterprise.

Elsewhere, UB engineers received a $1 million matching grant to develop advanced plastic recycling technology that utilizes AI. The grant’s principal investigator, Amit Goyal, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, says the technology could lead to recycling systems that operate “at a fraction of the cost” of current systems.

March

With Empire AI’s supercomputing center in downtown Buffalo now operational, UB researchers put the machine through its paces.

One project focuses on improving how people with ALS and other motor neuron diseases communicate. Another aims to provide more sophisticated medical imaging. Others study proteins and molecules, both with the goal of accelerating the discovery of new medications to treat disease.

“These projects will ensure our researchers continue to break barriers in artificial intelligence that ultimately improve the quality of life of countless individuals while also creating economic opportunities in Buffalo and beyond,” says Govindaraju, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

April

AI leaders from New York State and beyond converged at UB in early April for the SUNY AI Symposium. President Satish K. Tripathi welcomed attendees, noting the two-day event will explore “how we are harnessing the power of AI to contribute meaningfully to every sector of society.”

The symposium, which ran concurrently with AI Week at UB, included a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the School of Management’s Center for AI Business Innovation. And it featured discussions with leaders from IBM, Moog Inc., M&T Bank, CISCO, the New York Power Authority and more.

Also in April, UB scholars published research suggesting that AI has the potential to become a critical partner for physicians. And UB engineers described imaging technology they created that uses radar and AI to see through bandages and monitor wounds — an advancement that could greatly reduce secondary infections and save time for medical professionals.

May

In May, UB computer scientists discussed how they’re creating AI-powered handwriting analysis tools to detect dyslexia and dysgraphia among young children. The work comes decades after UB researchers pioneered AI-driven handwriting recognition systems for the U.S. Postal Service.

“Catching these neurodevelopmental disorders early is critically important to ensuring that children receive the help they need before it negatively impacts their learning and socio-emotional development,” says Govindaraju, who led the study.

The work is part of the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, which UB created after receiving a $20 million federal grant in 2023. The institute develops AI systems that identify and assist young children with speech and language processing disorders.

Also in May, SUNY announced that UB will be home to a $34 million nursing simulation center that will advance cutting-edge research, education and professional development via AI and other technology.

June

The Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI, which UB formed in 2024 after receiving a $10 million federal grant, celebrated the accomplishments of its first year.

One of the center’s key initiatives is a tool called AIRE, or AI Reading Enhancer, which will support K-2 students by improving phonics, word recognition, fluency, comprehension and other key literacy skills. In addition to AIRE, the center is “tackling responsible AI challenges and providing national leadership in this space,” said director X. Christine Wang, professor of learning and instruction in the Graduate School of Education.

Also in June, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the state will spend $40 million on new graphics processing units to make Empire AI 11 times more powerful. When combined with the existing supercomputer, Hochul said, the new units “will propel Empire AI to become one of the most advanced academic computers in the world.”

July

The summer doldrums were anything but that as UB researchers advanced a quick, pain-free, breast imaging system in early clinical tests. The AI-powered technology consists of an automated scan that takes less than a minute and produces clear 3D images.

Elsewhere, Sambandamurthy Ganapathy, professor in the Department of Physics, discussed his work building neuromorphic computer chips. This brain-inspired technology could reduce the energy demand from AI data centers. “There’s nothing in the world that’s as efficient as our brain — it’s evolved to maximize the storage and processing of information and minimize energy usage,” he says.

And middle and high school students visited campus for AI Experience at UB, which introduced them to AI through interactive projects, real-world experiments and ethical discussions.

August

UB announced seven new AI-focused bachelor’s degrees and two AI-focused minors. All are cutting-edge academic programs offered in collaboration with the Department of AI and Society, which UB formed in June after receiving a $5 million investment from New York State.

“We recognize that AI systems cannot benefit society without an AI workforce that understands society,” said Atri Rudra, the department’s inaugural chair.

Jackson Fahrbach, a member of the department’s first student cohort, is majoring in AI and quantitative economics. The junior is excited by the potential that AI holds to transform our understanding of economics. “AI can generate statistics and research on almost anything we want to examine – whether it’s a company or its stock, or the price of gold historically – and how trends are set to continue in the future,” he says. “We are at the forefront of a revolution when it comes to technology relating to AI and neural networks.”

The new department has received nearly 200 applications for the upcoming academic year.

Also, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and other officials visited UB for an in-person look at AI advancements underway at UB. “There’s so much exciting work that’s happening through Empire AI and it’s happening quickly,” King said. A month later, Hochul would visit UB to see the progress herself.

September

The key to improving natural disaster response may be AI, and that’s exactly what PhD student Ryan Zhenqi Zhou is studying. In September, he became one of three doctoral students nationwide to receive a Cartography and Geographic Information Society scholarship to support his work.

Elsewhere at UB, Lu Li, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Oral Biology, was awarded a $993,098 grant from the National Institutes of Health to employ machine learning to study periodontal disease.

And an international research team featuring Viviana Monje, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, was awarded $2 million to utilize AI and other tools to create biological-based membranes for use in medicine, agriculture, industry and other fields. “New and improved membranes can lead to cleaner, more efficient and sustainable operations in everything from water treatment to gas separation and pharmaceutical manufacturing,” said Monje.

October

Lyu, the computer scientist fighting deepfakes, was invited to speak to New York State lawmakers about the dangers of misusing AI. He advocated for “strong, sensible safeguards to protect New Yorkers and their communities.”

On a similar note, Karla Lellis, undergraduate lecturer in the School of Law, discussed her research into how different legal systems are responding to AI-driven harms such as fraud and sextortion.

Throughout the year, UB researchers offered their expertise on how AI is affecting the labor market, its impact on digital literacy and what a proposed 10-year federal moratorium on AI regulations would mean.

November

UB’s leadership in AI extends beyond research and educational programs. The university is also recognized for its policies.

An Associated Press article on how AI is changing education spotlighted guidelines from UB’s Office of Academic Integrity. The report noted that UB “instructors have the academic freedom to determine what tools students can and cannot use in pursuit of meeting course learning objectives.”

Meanwhile, UB scientists published research exploring AI-powered medical device’s potential to help people with Type 2 diabetes manage their condition. And Teng Wu, professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, delivered a keynote lecture on his work employing AI to improve the operation of wind turbines.

December

UB closed the year on a high note.

Researchers discussed a new wave of Empire AI-powered projects that tackle everything from AI-assisted surgery to personalized learning. Science magazine, meanwhile, spotlighted the success of Empire AI, reporting how the initiative places New York State at the forefront nationwide of state-driven AI infrastructure investments.

The New York Times reported that college students are flocking to AI majors, including programs offered through UB’s Department of AI and Society. This followed a similar report, from Inside Higher Education in October, featuring UB and three other universities that are incorporating generative AI into learning environments to ensure students have constructive engagement with the technology.

UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science received a boost with Hochul announcing the state would provide $832,000 to establish an AI fellowship program with the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The program will build a workforce pipeline, enabling students to work alongside NYPA experts to address key clean energy challenges.