Simons Foundation President David Spergel said, “The Simons Foundation is thrilled to be supporting the Governor’s effort to strengthen New York as a center for computational sciences. This week, the Nobel Prizes in both Chemistry and Physics were awarded to AI researchers. Empire AI will enable New York State researchers and students to be the innovators that create the next great ideas in science and technology.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “Empire AI is securing New York State’s leadership in AI for the public good, and SUNY’s University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, and Stony Brook University are proud to come together to drive research and innovation with other leading New York State institutions. We applaud Governor Hochul, and we are grateful for the expertise and commitment of the Simons Foundation, Tom Secunda, the entire board of directors, and the researchers and faculty across SUNY and higher education.”

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “Governor Hochul has positioned New York as a national standard-bearer for the responsible development of AI technology and through its generous support, the Simons Foundation has made it possible for the Empire AI consortium to quickly establish a solid foundational and governing structure. CUNY is proud to contribute research expertise to New York State’s trailblazing Empire AI consortium, which will harness the magnificent potential of the computational sciences to serve responsibly and equitably the public good.”

Bloomberg LP Co-Founder Tom Secunda said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, Empire AI has positioned New York as the national leader in AI innovation by providing these impactful tools, usually reserved for only the largest technology companies, to our research institutions and their teams. This tremendous donation from the Simons Foundation will allow staff from all of the Empire AI consortium members to start their research ahead of schedule and begin harnessing the power of AI for public good. Empire AI will not only speed up discovery but create new kinds of discovery, and now that academic institutions have this head start, we’re that much closer to the next scientific breakthrough. We’re grateful to all the participating institutions for their willingness to consistently commit significant time and resources to this project, and are excited to welcome Dr. Harrison to the effort.”

Stony Brook University Professor and Empire AI Interim Executive Director Dr. Robert Harrison said, “It is a privilege and very exciting to join Empire AI at this formative moment. The Governor's historic investment in Empire AI will transform research and innovation across New York State. It gives our researchers access to high-performance computer technology at a scale typically reserved for only the largest tech companies or nations, positioning New York State to take the national lead on AI-enabled scientific discovery and engineering design.”

University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi said, “Because of Governor Hochul’s visionary leadership, the generosity of the Simons Foundation, and the support of the state legislature, NYS now has the computing power needed to advance artificial intelligence research. Empire AI will put NYS at the epicenter of AI innovation. This game changing initiative will enable researchers across the consortium to use the power of AI to solve some of our world’s most troubling problems. UB is very proud to be the home of Empire AI.”

Cornell University Interim President Michael Kotlikoff said, “Cornell applauds the foresight of the Simons Foundation in bringing this ‘first light’ to Empire AI and academic researchers in New York State, as Governor Hochul has championed. We look forward to the research collaborations across Cornell and the other academic and research institutions who are driving AI research computing forward for the greatest good of discoveries and translation to society.”

NYU President Linda G. Mills said, “New York University is both excited by the opportunities presented by Empire AI and proud to work alongside New York’s institutes of higher learning in order to drive progress in AI and high-performance computing that will benefit both scientific discovery and help New York remain a destination of cutting-edge technology. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued leadership on this issue and for the support of our partners at the Simons Foundation.”

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Martin A. Schmidt said, “RPI commends Governor Hochul’s dedication to establishing New York as a leader in harnessing the power of AI for the benefit of all. With the governor’s trailblazing vision and the generous support and collaboration of our partners, we are excited to embark on this next phase of Empire AI to accelerate critical research and innovation.”

Cornell Tech Jack and Rill Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost Greg Morrisett said, “The Empire AI consortium is addressing a vital need: university researchers need access to modern computational machines for two reasons. First, this kind of research now will uncover new opportunities for AI to help solve big challenges such as affordable and equitable health care and climate adaptation in the future. Second, this kind of research community is dedicated to exploring the limitations, technologies, and policies needed to ensure that AI serves the public interest with trust.”

Columbia University Executive Vice President for Research and Professor of Computer Science Jeannette M. Wing said, “The Columbia research community is thrilled to have access to the computational power of Empire AI, with early enthusiasm expressed by researchers developing cutting-edge AI techniques to researchers who use AI to understand the brain, model the earth, or fight misinformation. Governor Hochul’s leadership combined with all of the work of Empire AI member institutions is laying the scientific and ethical foundations of AI for generations to come.”

Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “The financial commitment of the Governor and the Legislature has already resulted in expanded private sector investment in high-tech manufacturing and leadership in AI driven by SUNY and the Empire AI Consortium. Our committee visited UB this summer to meet with key players on the SUNY team leading the Empire AI Consortium. The work of Governor Hochul and Chancellor King provide a roadmap for continued economic success for New York. Our leadership in technology and innovation will bring jobs and new business partners to grow our economy.”

Tech:NYC President and CEO Julie Samuels said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s leadership and this generous donation from the Simons Foundation, Empire AI is up and running months ahead of schedule, allowing consortium members to fast-track their groundbreaking research and begin using artificial intelligence for the public good even sooner. New York is already at the forefront of developing AI to solve society’s problems – now, the early launch of Empire AI will create opportunities to speed up discovery and push the envelope even further. Together, alongside public and private institutions, we look forward to catalyzing safe, equitable, and accessible AI research and development, and cementing New York as a leader in responsible AI.”

Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Today’s launch of the Empire AI Consortium marks a pivotal step in positioning New York as a global leader in artificial intelligence research and innovation. By harnessing the power of public and private collaboration, we are advancing critical research that addresses some of society's most pressing challenges—from climate resilience to health disparities. This is more than an investment in technology; it's an investment in our future, our workforce, and our ability to solve complex problems that affect millions of lives."