A group of 16 academic institutions and six community organizations and nonprofit agencies have formed the Connecticut AI Alliance (CAIA). The consortium is aimed at advancing the development, application, and impact of artificial intelligence across the state.
“The Connecticut AI Alliance represents a significant milestone in our state’s technology landscape,” said Vahid Behzadan, Ph.D., co-founder of CAIA, assistant professor of computer science and data science at the University of New Haven, and director of the University of New Haven’s Secure and Assured Intelligent Learning (SAIL) lab.
“By bringing together our state’s academic institutions, industry partners, government agencies, and community organizations, we’re creating a collaborative ecosystem that will drive innovation, economic growth, and workforce development in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence,” said Behzadan, who was appointed in 2023 by Gov. Ned Lamont to the Connecticut Artificial Intelligence Working Group.
According to CAIA, its mission focuses on five pillars:
- Research and Development: Promoting interdisciplinary research collaborations to address real-world AI applications and challenges
- Workforce Training: Delivering skills-based programs to equip Connecticut’s workforce with necessary AI expertise
- Business and Industry Growth: Fostering AI-driven businesses and startups through access to computing resources and knowledge transfer
- Innovation Infrastructure: Establishing shared technical infrastructure, including a state-wide AI computing cluster
- Community Engagement: Building a thriving AI community through seminars, workshops, and industry events
Consortium members will collaborate on shared research projects, joint educational programs, and cross-institutional workforce training. CAIA said their centralized approach will enable Connecticut’s institutions to pool their expertise and resources. CAIA believes this will help foster innovation and advance AI knowledge across multiple sectors.
Founding academic members of the alliance include Albertus Magnus College, Charter Oak State College, Connecticut College, Fairfield University, Goodwin University, Mitchell College, Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University, Trinity College, University of Bridgeport, University of Connecticut, University of Hartford, University of New Haven, University of Saint Joseph, Wesleyan University, and Yale University. Associations and nonprofit organizations supporting the CAIA include BioCT, Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, Connecticut Center for Advanced Technologies, Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, CT AI Health Collaborative, and The WorkPlace.
