BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Binghamton University is poised to become a national hub for ethical artificial intelligence, fueled by a historic $30 million gift—the largest academic donation in the university’s history.
The funding, provided by a group led by Binghamton alumnus and Bloomberg LP co-founder Tom Secunda, will establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research. The philanthropic gift is being paired with an additional $25 million in state investment from the State University of New York (SUNY), bringing the total backing for the initiative to $55 million.
The investment is the engine behind an ambitious “cluster hire” initiative that is bringing 15 new faculty members to the Southern Tier. These experts won’t just be tucked away in computer science labs; they are being integrated into departments as varied as nursing, social work, and the liberal arts to ensure AI becomes a tool for every student.
For Provost Donald Hall, the move isn’t about chasing a tech trend—it’s about preparing students for a fundamentally changed workforce.
“We want our students to be the ones leading the way in how AI is used responsibly,” Hall said. “Whether you are an artist or an engineer, this technology is going to touch your career. We want to make sure a Binghamton degree prepares you for that reality.”
The center’s focus on “Trustworthy AI” seeks to address the ethical and human impacts of the technology. By placing new faculty in the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences, the university hopes to bridge the gap between technical “how-to” and real-world ethics.
The human element remains the priority. Officials envision a future where AI helps local healthcare providers predict patient needs more accurately or assists social workers in identifying at-risk youth before a crisis occurs.
For students like Sarah Jenkins, a junior studying political science, the initiative feels less like science fiction and more like a necessary upgrade.
“There’s a lot of fear that AI will take jobs,” Jenkins said. “But seeing the university bring in experts to teach us how to actually control and use it makes me feel like I’ll have an edge when I graduate.”
The hiring surge is part of a broader push to solidify Binghamton’s status as a premier research institution and a key player in the “Empire AI” consortium, a state-wide effort to keep New York at the forefront of the tech industry.
Secunda, who graduated in 1976 and earned his master’s in 1979, has frequently pointed to the importance of public trust in technology. In a statement regarding the center, he emphasized creating a pipeline of talent that ensures AI is “not only powerful, but also secure, transparent, and worthy of public confidence.”
As the 15 new faculty members arrive on campus, the message from the administration is clear: the technology is meant to empower, not replace.
“Technology is only as good as the people using it,” Hall said. “We’re betting on our people.”
