TLDR: The University of California, Davis, has been granted $5 million over five years by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization (AIVO). This initiative establishes AIVO as a central community hub for federally funded AI institutes, fostering collaboration, education, and public-private partnerships, as part of a larger $100 million public-private investment in artificial intelligence.
The University of California, Davis, has secured a significant $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) over a five-year period to spearhead the Artificial Intelligence Institutes Virtual Organization (AIVO). This substantial funding positions UC Davis at the forefront of national AI research, establishing AIVO as a pivotal community hub for both nascent and established AI institutes across the United States.
This investment is part of a broader $100 million public-private commitment to artificial intelligence announced by the NSF on July 29, 2025. Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director, emphasized the strategic importance of this initiative, stating, ‘Artificial intelligence is key to strengthening our workforce and boosting U.S. competitiveness.’ He further added that ‘Through the National AI Research Institutes, we are turning cutting-edge ideas and research into real-world solutions and preparing Americans to lead in the technologies and jobs of the future.’
Prior to this new funding, AIVO operated as a virtual organization, supported by the NSF and managed by staff from UC Davis’s Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS). With this new grant, AIVO will officially transform into an NSF-branded community hub, significantly expanding its capabilities and enhancing its role within the national AI research ecosystem. Its mission includes coordinating activities among the federal AI institutes, sharing knowledge, organizing annual summits for AI leadership, and fostering cross-institute connections.
Steve Brown, associate director of AIFS, highlighted AIVO’s evolution, noting that it began as an effort to coordinate activities among the original federal AI institutes, including AIFS, and then to share knowledge with new institutes as they were established. He stated that AIVO is now positioned to enhance connections among AI Institutes by providing events and venues that facilitate collaboration among personnel and stakeholders.
Beyond the NSF grant, AIVO also received a separate $1.75 million grant from Google.org in December 2024. This additional funding is dedicated to supporting AI education across various levels, including the development of AI curriculum for K-16 education, workforce training programs, AI-assisted learning initiatives, and summer programs tailored for high school teachers and students.
Also Read:
- Second NSF Workshop Highlights Generative AI’s Transformative Role in Scientific Discovery
- U.S. National AI Action Plan Proposes Formalizing Interagency AI Coordination Council
UC Davis’s Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) was one of the seven original AI institutes announced in August 2020, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The broader AI Institutes program, spearheaded by the NSF, has seen significant growth, expanding from 18 AI Institutes at AIVO’s founding in 2022 to 29 strong by 2025, underscoring a national commitment to fostering innovation and research in artificial intelligence.
