University of Minnesota-Twin Cities has secured a $20 million grant over five years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to lead a new National Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. This funding comes as part of a larger federal initiative to enhance collaborative artificial intelligence research across the country, with a total investment of nearly half a billion dollars.

The newly established AI Institute for Climate-Land Interactions, Mitigation, Adaptation, Tradeoffs, and Economy (AI-CLIMATE) aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence to develop climate-smart practices that promote carbon absorption and storage while simultaneously benefiting the agriculture and forestry industries. It is one of seven new NSF and NIFA funded AI Institutes announced, and it brings together various entities within University of Minnesota Twin Cities, including the College of Science and Engineering, Minnesota Robotics Institute, Data Science Institute, College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences, and the Office of the Vice President for Research. The institute will also collaborate with experts from Cornell University, Colorado State University, Delaware State University, Purdue University, North Carolina State University, and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) representing tribal nations.

The overarching goal of AI-CLIMATE aligns with national efforts to achieve net – zero carbon emissions by 2050. By leveraging natural systems such as forestry and agriculture as “carbon sinks,” the institute seeks to contribute to this objective. Currently, farmers and foresters can potentially receive compensation for carbon sequestration through carbon markets, but accurately measuring the amount of carbon sequestered is challenging and expensive. The researchers at AI-CLIMATE aim to address this issue by utilizing advanced AI techniques like deep learning and knowledge-guided machine learning. These technologies can improve accuracy, reduce costs, and make carbon accounting more accessible for farmers and foresters. By developing user-friendly tools that utilize AI neural networks to analyze soil measurements and images, the institute aims to save time, energy, and money for those involved.

The efforts of AI-CLIMATE complement other federal programs that focus on climate-smart agriculture. For instance, the United States Department of Agriculture has committed $3.1 billion to support farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners through the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities Project.

The establishment of AI-CLIMATE has garnered praise for its potential to address the urgent need for climate change mitigation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, workforce growth, and rural development. It exemplifies the collaborative nature of research, with close partnerships between academic institutions, farmers, producers, educators, and innovators. The NSF and NIFA recognize the critical role of foundational research in AI and machine learning to drive transformative solutions and maintain the nation’s leadership in AI capabilities.