Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has launched the Massachusetts AI Hub in a bid to expand the state’s position as a leader in artificial intelligence research and innovation.
The hub will facilitate collaboration between government, industry, startups, and academia. The governor’s office also said the hub will “unlock” economic opportunity for businesses and residents across the state.
The Massachusetts AI Hub will be established at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech – the state’s quasi-public economic development agency focused on advancing technology and innovation. The hub will also leverage resources authorized as part of the Mass Leads Act to support AI initiatives and the creation of an AI Hub in Massachusetts.
“Since the founding of our country, Massachusetts has pioneered revolutionary innovations that changed human history, from developing the first computer to creating lifesaving vaccines. Today, we are building on that longstanding legacy with the Massachusetts AI Hub,” said Gov. Healey. “Through the AI Hub, we will set the standard for AI development by supporting trailblazing research, attracting and retaining unparalleled AI talent, and transforming our state into the global leader in applied AI innovation, solving the greatest challenges facing our society today.”
The governor’s office added that the Massachusetts AI Hub will serve as the central entity for coordinating and managing key assets required for AI innovation, including data resources, high-performance computing power, and interdisciplinary research. State leaders believe the AI Hub will accelerate research, foster homegrown industry from the state’s universities and colleges, deploy AI for real-world applications, and train the state’s current and future workforce.
The state used recommendations from its AI Strategic Task Force to develop the framework for the Massachusetts AI Hub. The task force was originally established by the governor in February 2024 to explore how the Healey-Driscoll administration can best support AI adoption and innovation to drive economic growth.
Drawing from the task force’s recommendations, the AI Hub will center on three core components:
- Infrastructure: The AI Hub will expand access to the high-performance computing that is critical for developing and deploying AI technologies, enabling researchers and businesses to scale their AI projects. The AI Hub will also establish a central location for high-quality datasets, which are essential for AI development, and promote data sharing across industries.
- Innovation and Talent Ecosystem: Through grants, technical assistance and other resources, the AI Hub will promote interdisciplinary research and partnerships between academia and industry; entrepreneurship programs and accelerators to support AI startups; AI adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and workforce development initiatives that align with industry needs, retain and attract top AI talent, and ensure that the Massachusetts workforce is prepared for the future.
- Equity and Values: The AI Hub will accelerate the equitable and ethical development and deployment of AI across the state economy, supporting initiatives that reflect our state’s values and providing a clear benefit to the public that it serves.
“We have an opportunity to make our state the best place in the world for collaborative and responsible AI innovation,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The Massachusetts AI Hub draws from our state’s existing strengths, including our unparalleled innovation ecosystem, world-class universities, highly skilled talent, and revolutionary spirit, to advance transformative technologies and power economic opportunity for all.”
