(WNY News Now) – Governor Kathy Hochul announced that IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett will co-chair the new Emerging Technology Advisory Board – an independent group of industry leaders tasked with informing and accelerating New York’s transformation into a hub for growth and innovation. The Board will provide direct insights into the dynamic landscape of emerging technologies with emphasis on artificial intelligence, and inform state efforts to build a modern economy driven by cutting-edge businesses and a thriving workforce. Governor Hochul announced the new board at McKinsey’s Future of New York Summit in New York City. The announcement builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to boosting innovation across the state – including her transformative Empire AI proposal to secure New York’s place at the forefront of the artificial intelligence boom.
“From Rochester to Ronkonkoma, New York is embracing new, innovative industries to start building the next generation of tech in our state,” Governor Hochul said. “This advisory board will bring together the best minds from business, academia, workforce development and other important fields to help our state capitalize on its tremendous growth and build an emerging tech sector that is safe, equitable, and positioned for success. I look forward to working with the Board under Arvind and Dr. Barrett’s leadership to continue our state’s upward trajectory and help usher New York’s economy into the 21st century.”
IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna said, “I am honored to co-chair the Governor’s Emerging Technology Advisory Board, and I applaud Governor Hochul’s vision for spearheading New York State’s leadership in advanced technologies. This is a critical time in the technology landscape – from AI to chips to quantum computing – which are powering innovation, productivity, and economic growth. This board will play a central role in ensuring that New York has the talent, ecosystem, and infrastructure to remain at the forefront of these technologies. IBM is proud to call New York our home and help support the innovations that will be brought to life in the state.”
Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett said, “I’m honored to Co-Chair the Emerging Technology Advisory Board to shepherd New York into an exciting era of technological progress, especially as we continue to see the growing potential of artificial intelligence. However, in times of tremendous transformation, too many are often left behind – especially women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups whose perspectives our industries desperately need in order to grow. That’s why we must prioritize diversity and equity, and ensure that all people can access the tools they need to thrive in this new economy. Girls Who Code was built on the understanding that the future of technology depends on who’s developing it, and I’m grateful to Gov. Hochul for the opportunity to help build a strong future for our great state.”
The Board will offer critical expertise on industry trends and future forecasting, ideas for accelerating the growth of emerging technology sectors within the state, and also ensuring New York workers are prioritized and protected for jobs of the future. Board members will include company builders, nonprofit and research leaders, practitioners and advocates from artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and other growing sectors.
The Board’s goals will include:
- Developing recommendations to grow the AI ecosystem in New York and creating an environment for AI businesses and startup ventures to thrive
- Attracting and skilling a diverse and equitable tech talent pool, and making sure cutting-edge job opportunities are as accessible as possible
- Identifying the emerging technology opportunities on the horizon and laying groundwork now for future technology sectors in New York
The Board will be named and meet in the coming months to develop and deliver a set of recommendations to accelerate the growth of New York’s innovation economy.
Governor Hochul’s Innovation Agenda
Governor Hochul remains committed to driving innovation across New York State to attract major employers and create good-paying, 21st century jobs. As part of her FY 2025 Budget, the Governor unveiled her Empire AI proposal to put New York State at the cutting-edge of AI research. The proposal includes a consortium of seven founding institutions that will create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center in Buffalo to promote responsible research and development, create jobs, and unlock AI opportunities focused on public good. The project will be supported by the State and seven founding
Governor Hochul has also directed the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) to issue a first-of-its-kind AI policy that establishes the principles and parameters by which state agencies can evaluate and adopt AI systems to better serve New Yorkers. As part of the Executive Budget, the Governor also introduced nation-leading legislation to protect against abusive and fraudulent uses of AI.
These efforts build on the Governor’s agenda to build other innovative and emerging industries in New York. Governor Hochul signed New York’s historic Green CHIPS legislation to drive semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing in New York State and announced a $10 billion partnership to bring next-generation chips research to NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex. The Governor has continued to advance a $620 million Life Science Initiative to support innovation in biomedical research. And through strategic investments like the $113.7 million Battery-NY initiative, Governor Hochul has fueled the growth of the sustainability, green technology, and energy storage economies in New York State.
The Governor’s innovation agenda has catalyzed major public and private investments, transforming New York’s economy and creating good-paying jobs of the future. GlobalFoundries recently announced an $11.6 billion investment to expand its chip manufacturing campus in New York’s Capitol Region, creating 1,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. In 2022, Micron announced a 20-year, $100 billion investment to create a megafab campus in Central New York, creating 50,000 new direct and indirect jobs and unlocking hundreds of millions of dollars in community benefits. The Governor’s Life Sciences Initiative helped to solidify New York’s selection for the $300 million Chan Zuckerberg Biohub New York, a biomedical research hub in New York City, and significant investments from Schrödinger, Inc., Deerfield Discovery and Development, and other life sciences businesses. Earlier this year, the National Science Foundation also announced a $160 million investment in Binghamton University’s New Energy New York Storage Engine to establish a hub for innovation, technology translation, and workforce development to grow the capacity of the domestic battery industry.
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