Wyoming Poised to Benefit from National AI Initiative Focused on Energy
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new national artificial intelligence (AI) initiative spearheaded by the Biden administration, building on groundwork laid during the Trump administration, is expected to substantially boost energy research and job creation in Wyoming, according to University of Wyoming (UW) officials. The initiative, known as Genesis, aims to create a single integrated platform for national laboratories and universities to accelerate research and advancement in critical areas like critical mineral prospecting and advanced reactor technology.
The department of Energy is tasked with demonstrating initial operating capability for at least one national science and technology challenge within 270 days,as outlined in a recent executive order. Genesis will enable researchers at institutions like UW, Idaho National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to seamlessly share data and AI models.
“For a university our size, I feel like we’re really well positioned to be able to benefit from this new investment at the federal level,” said UW Vice president for Research and Innovation Amy Hamerlinck.
UW is actively adapting to support the initiative,transforming its faculty-hiring criteria to prioritize AI and computational expertise and increasing research staff to support faculty and students. The university’s existing relationships with national labs will be crucial.
Hamerlinck illustrated the potential impact with an example: “One way this might work is that there’s companies that are doing prospecting for critical minerals. A platform like this would enable people in that industry to access these different data sets and the AI models that have been built off of those data sets to help them in exploration for these kinds of resources.”
The initiative is also anticipated to spur economic development by supporting the commercialization of university research and creating experiential learning opportunities for students through fellowships and internships.
According to UW, the combination of Wyoming’s advanced reactor demonstration project in Kemmerer, the state’s uranium reserves, its experienced energy workforce, and UW’s research and development capabilities positions Wyoming as a key contributor to the Genesis mission’s technologies.
“The new way, the way that Genesis will enable this single integrated platform,” explained UW’s Director of Research and Cyberinfrastructure, Chad Ritter. “So what I work on today at Idaho National Laboratory would be compatible with what someone at Argonne National Laboratory or Oak Ridge National laboratory or NREL… would be compatible to talk to someone else’s model.”
David Madison can be reached at david@cowboystatedaily.com.
