USC announces $1 billion-plus Initiative for AI, AR, VR, blockchain, robotics and gaming.

The University of Southern California (USC) has launched a new initiative named “Frontiers of Computing”. The initiative aims to enhance education and research in the fields of computing, including AR, VR, AI, data science, blockchain and robotics. Additionally, the initiative has a budget of over $1 billion and will focus on promoting digital literacy for all students.

With the aim of becoming a top provider of tech experts, USC has made computing a cornerstone of its academic programs. The Frontiers of Computing initiative aims to take this a step further by incorporating computing into research and education across all fields.

The initiative has received a generous seed funding of $260 million from the Lord Foundation. This will enable USC to advance computing into a new phase. The multi-faceted approach of the initiative will focus on various aspects of computing. This includes research and development of new technologies, preparing the next generation of tech professionals, and providing opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

The “Frontiers of Computing” is the university’s single-largest extensive academic initiative. The initiative will incorporate computing into research and education to promote digital literacy for all students. This would perhaps help the university achieve its aim of being the top provider of tech experts. 

A new school 

The headquarters of the USC School of Advanced Computing will be in Dr Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Human-Centered Computation Hall, a seven-story building. The facility which is still under construction will be opened formally in the fall of 2024.

Recruitment 

With USC’s plan to hire 60 additional staff and faculty by 2030, 30 new faculty who are professionals in computer-based research and computing science will be hired in the first three years. According to USC, because of how computational methods are transforming the way people work and live, the new faculty members will hold positions in several schools at USC

Economic Impact 

The Frontiers of Computing initiative will strengthen the university’s influence on technology in industries. It will also extend impact to Silicon Beach in L.A; home to the Information Creative Technologies and Information Sciences Institute. According to a study in 2017, USC presently has a $ 9 billion economic influence in L. A and its influence is expanding to the East Coast, with the USC Capital Campus in D.C

Education 

USC’s initiative will incorporate computing into several academic programs and disciplines. USC plans to make students prepared for a tech-intensive working environment. It aims to spark new technological advances and create policy through course offerings and experiential education.

Ethics 

According to the Senior Vice President for research and innovation, Ishwar Puri, USC is creating a culture of conscience and responsibility among students, faculty and the community across academic research and programs. The Center for Generative AI and Society is important for USC’s ethics plan. Additionally, the Center brings professionals across the university together to discuss issues bothering around ethics and responsibility in generative AI.

“I want every student who comes through our programs —whether they are in science, business, the humanities or the arts– to have a solid grounding in technology and the ethics of the work that they do. We will integrate digital literacy across disciplines to create responsible leaders for the workforce of the future.”

USC President, Carol Folt

According to the university, the development of the Frontiers of Computing started three years ago before the emergence of AI and generative AI. USC is currently one of the top providers of tech talents in the United States with more than 1300 graduates in computer science every year. 

Photo credit: University of Southern California