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Creating a new academic department from scratch is not easy. It’s especially challenging when its focus is something as dynamic as artificial intelligence and its impact on society.

Yet that’s exactly what an interdisciplinary committee of faculty and staff at UB are doing.

“It almost feels like a startup,” said Atri Rudra, who will serve as inaugural chair of the planned Department of AI and Society, which will concentrate on harnessing AI for the public good.

Announced last Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul, who committed $5 million in state funding for UB to hire new faculty and purchase high-performance computing equipment, the department has been recommended for approval by the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Planning and Assessment. The full Faculty Senate is scheduled to vote on the recommendation April 15.

The department and a wide range of other topics took center stage Wednesday at the Center for the Arts during Day 2 of the second annual SUNY AI Symposium. Speakers discussed everything from AI’s role in the banking industry to how teachers are utilizing large language models, such as ChatGPT and Claude, to augment traditional learning materials.

Rudra, the Katherine Johnson Chair in Artificial Intelligence and a professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, spoke during a panel moderated by Graham Hammill, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School.

The new department is already taking shape, Rudra said, with faculty from a wide range of disciplines already expressing interest in collaborating. Jeff Good, professor of linguistics, said the department will offer courses in AI, ethics, technology disruption and diffusion, and other foundational subjects.

Ann Bisantz, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, noted the department’s unique design, which will offer flexibility in subject matter and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. The department, she said, is exploring developing AI-focused degrees in geography, health, public policy, communication, creativity and the arts, languages and more.

Also on the panel were Luke Ziarek, associate professor of computer science and engineering, and Heath Tuttle, vice president and chief information officer.

Earlier Wednesday, UB officials celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the School of Management’s Center for AI Business Innovation.

A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, highlighted UB’s leadership role in AI research and education within SUNY, the nation and world. He discussed infrastructure investments such as Empire AI, the $400 million statewide research consortium whose supercomputing center is located at UB. And he noted the new center is the latest example of UB providing students and researchers with transformative AI-centered programs.

“Together, we are focused on preparing the workforce of the future and celebrating world-changing research and discovery while ensuring artificial intelligence technologies are developed responsibly and in the public interest,” he said.

Anath Iyer, dean of the School of Management, said faculty, students and staff are already pushing the boundaries of AI.

“We’re excited to embrace new tools and technology as a force for good, and in our world this technology as a force of business impact, value creation and economic development,” he said.

As an example, he cited the school’s work in AI with the Supply Chain Activation Network, which is part of a $40 million project to build a “tech hub” for semiconductor manufacturing, research and education in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

Other sessions on Wednesday focused on AI and industry, which included panelists from IBM Research, CISCO, Moog Inc., M&T Bank and the New York Power Authority; how AI is being applied in classrooms and other educational settings; as well as demonstrations and poster sessions featuring students and the growing number of UB-affiliated startups utilizing AI.

Shadi Sandvik, senior vice chancellor for research, innovation and economic development at SUNY, was the symposium’s co-host along with Venu Govindaraju, UB vice president for research and economic development.

“I want to take a moment to reflect on how amazing and inspiring and energizing these past two days have been. We have been treated to brilliant keynote speakers, dynamic panels, interactive demonstrations and thoughtful student presentations,” Sandvik said. “Each session was not only a reminder of the vast potential of AI, but also of the deeply human motivations behind its advancement, curiosity, passion and collaboration, and the drive to solve real-world problems.”