Binghamton University officials presented the latest plan for the construction of new facilities, including the site for the new SMART Tech Research Building, which will house the Center for AI Responsibility and Research.

Officials proposed that the new facility be built at the site of the paid parking lot across from the Glenn G. Bartle Library in a presentation to the BU Council last Friday. The announcement was part of a larger presentation given by Al McQuilkin, the University’s associate vice president for facilities management. The presentation outlined major development plans for the main campus and the Innovative Technologies Complex over the next decade.

The AI center is part of a larger initiative by the Empire State AI Consortium, which includes Columbia University, Cornell University and the City University of New York, to boost AI innovation and research in a “safe, equitable, and accessible” way, according to a program fact sheet. The AI center project received a $25 million capital investment from SUNY and $30 million donation from Thomas Secunda ‘76, the cofounder of Bloomberg L.P. and chair of the Empire State AI Consortium.

“The Center for AI Responsibility and Research will bring together innovative research and scholarship, ethical leadership and public engagement at a moment when all three are urgently needed,” University President Anne D’Alleva said in a January statement. “I am deeply grateful to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their visionary support, and to Tom Secunda for his extraordinary generosity and continued commitment to his alma mater. Together, we are creating a research environment that ensures AI will strengthen communities, build our economy and earn the public’s trust.”

Other parts of the plan extended this focus with three new planned major projects for the expansion of research facilities, including the construction of a “Sustainable Transportation Center,” an expansion of the ITC, and the ITC expansion and the new AI research center.

The site was designed to encourage student interaction. The building recommendation for the AI center consists of a large, 150,000-square-foot space with five floors and a large dining expansion.

Landscape recommendations in the plan included a pedestrian bridge over Loop Road, connecting the AI center to the existing pathway between Bartle South Library and the Engineering Building.

“SUNY is on the move, and thanks to Gov. Hochul and our State Legislature, and private donors like Tom Secunda, our talented faculty members and students are being equipped with a top-tier independent research environment to support our efforts and move New York forward,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr said in January. “This historic investment is part of Governor Hochul’s ongoing commitment to double research at SUNY and ensure we are at the cutting edge of emerging technologies, including AI. There’s truly no better place for this work than right here in the SUNY family.”

The plan also focused on increasing accessibility, aesthetic appeal and interconnectedness of the campus space. Other proposals included installation of a ramp by the University Union’s main stairs on the Spine, multi-modal paths, the conversion of the Loop into a one-way road and additional green space.

The SMART center project will be split into three phases, with an initial building in phase one and more extensions to be constructed in the next two phases. The center will be temporarily housed at the old Columbian Financial Group building on 4736 Vestal Parkway, which the University purchased in December.

“Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, and as the technology influences everything we do, we need to be just as nimble in making sure AI works for New Yorkers safely and responsibly,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in January. “The Center for AI Responsibility and Research will be that independent arm of research that gives New Yorkers transparency to ensure AI is used for the public good.”