New York State has taken a major step forward in its mission to lead responsible AI development with a significant investment in computing infrastructure. On June 26, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Empire State Development Board approved $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta, the second phase of the supercomputer powering New York's nation-leading Empire AI initiative.
Housed at the University at Buffalo, Empire AI Beta will utilize NVIDIA's state-of-the-art Blackwell AI supercomputing platform. The new system will dramatically accelerate Empire AI's computing performance from the current Alpha system: 11-fold in AI training, 40-fold in AI inference, and an 8-fold increase in data storage. Empire AI Beta is expected to be among the first academic deployments of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems.
"With Empire AI, New York is leading in emerging technology and ensuring the power of AI is harnessed for public good and developed right here in this great state," Governor Hochul said. "The launch of Beta will supercharge our efforts to advance responsible AI development by some of our brightest minds at research institutions focused on purpose, not profit."
The Empire AI consortium now includes ten member institutions. The founding members were SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute. Recently added members include the University of Rochester (the first integrated health system in the consortium), Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Empire AI is bridging the gap between researchers, public interest organizations, and small companies to accelerate AI development centered on the public interest. Researchers are already using the system to conduct groundbreaking work, from medical breakthroughs in treating cancer to building climate models that help communities prepare for extreme weather events.
The $40 million funding approved for Empire AI Beta is part of the FY26 Budget, which secured $90 million in new capital funding. Overall, Empire AI is now backed by over $500 million in public and private funding, including up to $340 million in state funding and $25 million over 10 years in SUNY operating funding. This substantial investment positions New York as a national leader in responsible AI innovation while creating new opportunities for research, education, and economic growth.