Federal funding agency plans to invest up to $35 million to establish AI research support center

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a significant step forward in the development of the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR), a project aimed at providing researchers with access to essential tools for AI research.

According to the NSF, the agency plans to award up to $35 million to establish an operations center for the NAIRR. The award will be made to a single organization, responsible for establishing a "community-based organization" to manage the resource.

The NAIRR, which began as a pilot in January 2024, has already supported over 490 projects in 49 states and Washington, thanks to contributions from 14 federal agencies and 28 private sector partners. The project has been instrumental in providing researchers with computational data, AI models, software, and other tools needed for AI research.

The NSF spokesperson stated that funding for the center is covered by the agency's normal appropriations. Katie Antypas, who leads NSF's Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, stated that this is a key step in the transition from the NAIRR Pilot to building a sustainable and scalable NAIRR program.

The Trump administration's AI Action Plan included a recommendation for the NAIRR to "build the foundations for a lean and sustainable NAIRR operations capability." The NSF looks forward to collaborating with partners in the private sector and other agencies to further the innovation and scientific impact of the NAIRR.

The NAIRR-OC solicitation indicates that the project is taking steps to scale the project absent additional support. The awardee would ultimately be responsible for the management of the resource, but may expand their responsibilities and duties at a later date, depending on factors such as NAIRR's priorities, the awardee's performance, and funding.

Establishing NAIRR fully is expected to take a significant amount of funding, and while lawmakers have attempted to advance bipartisan legislation that would codify the NAIRR, those bills have not passed. The Trump administration canceled hundreds of grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental justice, but it remains to be seen whether this will impact the development of the NAIRR.

The specific organization likely to be selected has not yet been publicly disclosed, but the NSF is accepting proposals for the establishment of the NAIRR-OC until the deadline on [insert date]. The award is for a maximum of $35 million for a period of up to five years.

The NAIRR is designed to democratize access to tools needed for AI research, but Congress has yet to authorize a full-scale version of the resource. The development of the NAIRR is an important step in advancing AI research and innovation, and the NSF is committed to working with partners to ensure the success of the project.

Federal funding agency plans to invest up to $35 million to establish AI research support center