NCCU Announces $1 Million Grant to Fund the Nation’s First HBCU AI Institute

By: Victor Greene

North Carolina Central University has received a $1 million dollar grant from google.org to fund the nation’s first HBCU AI institute. The grant will serve as a first-of-its-kind program for a historically Black university NCCU stated while announcing the grant. The grant will launch in 2025, where 200 students in AI related fields will be supported financially for two years. 

One word to describe this grant’s effect on the university would be “transformative” stated NCCU’s Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon. “This partnership will prepare our students with the tools and knowledge to lead the AI field, while developing technologies that benefit society at large. Through collaboration with corporations, local community colleges and universities, and the Research Triangle Park network, the institute will serve as an epicenter for workforce development, research and innovation, empowering students to lead one of the most impactful fields of our time and help make AI a force for good in the world.”

NCCU hosted an event to celebrate the announcement, inviting grant recipients, Google leaders, elected officials, students, and faculty. The program is designed to enhance research and educational opportunities for students to excel in AI innovation.