AI Tennessee Initiative - Research, Innovation & Economic Development

A new research and education initiative focused on the State of Tennessee’s unique AI strengths and opportunities.

Led by UT, this Initiative is engaging with academic, industry, and community partners across Tennessee to leverage the benefits of AI across all disciplines and economic sectors in areas such as smart manufacturing, climate-smart agriculture and forestry, precision health and environment, future mobility, and AI for science. Our goal is to make life and lives better through AI research and education.

This initiative is just getting started, so stay tuned for more developments. If you are interested in partnering in the AI Tennessee Initiative, please reach out to ai_tennessee@utk.edu.

Mission

Advance cutting-edge research and creative activity across all disciplines at their intersections with AI

Expand the number of Tennessee students developing skills and/or core competencies in AI across many disciplines to prepare them for AI-enabled jobs of today and the future

Partner with industry and institutions statewide to position Tennessee as a national and global leader in the data-intensive knowledge economy

“

If we prepare students with AI skills and capabilities, there are jobs waiting for them. And these jobs are in economic sectors that are important to Tennessee, and important to our nation.”

—Lynne Parker, Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of AI Tennessee Initiative
leparker@utk.edu

Tennessee’s Digital Economy

Tennessee aims to be a leader in the data-intensive knowledge economy, and is poised for growth in AI, with its largest metropolitan areas demonstrating AI leadership potential. AI-related jobs in Tennessee are in demand in nearly every sector of the economy. AI-focused collaborations between universities and industry, government, and nonprofits have more than doubled over the past two decades (AI Index Report 2022), an indicator of the growing interest in AI and its role in society.

Recent News

AI Tennessee Initiative FY25 Seed Funds Announced The Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development is launching FY2025 seed funds for artificial intelligence (AI) research, team building […]

Anahita Khojandi stands in front of window overlooking campus.

UT Team Uses AI to Improve Sepsis Detection and Effective Treatment Sepsis acquired in clinical settings threatens the lives of tens of millions of people worldwide every year. The condition, in […]

Maroulas Named Assistant Vice Chancellor, Deputy Director of AI Tennessee Initiative The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development has named Professor Vasileios Maroulas the new assistant […]