The Massachusetts AI Hub (MA AI Hub) is actively working to cement the state as a global leader in artificial intelligence through a variety of strategic programs and initiatives. Our efforts focus on connecting, accelerating and scaling AI initiatives that advance innovation, economic growth, workforce development and the public good across Massachusetts.
Here are the current projects and initiatives that the MA AI Hub is leading or partnering on in close collaboration with leaders within the industry, academic, public and non-profit sectors of our economy.
The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) is a non-profit, energy-efficient data center located in Holyoke that provides a more sustainable source of compute. It is operated by a consortium that includes Boston University, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, the University of Massachusetts and, as of 2024, Yale University. In May 2025, the MA AI Hub announced a $31 million state investment to create the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) cluster at MGHPCC. This initiative will make high-performance GPU and compute infrastructure more accessible to universities, startups, businesses and communities across Massachusetts. The AICR cluster represents the first phase of a planned $120 million public-private investment aimed at advancing AI research, innovation and inclusive economic growth statewide. Procurement for the hardware is currently underway.
Program benefits:
Meeting growing data and compute demands
Supplying compute and data processing capacity necessary to meet the rapidly expanding needs of academic institutions, industry partners and innovative startups across Massachusetts.
Fostering research & education
This strategic investment will play a pivotal role in maintaining Massachusetts' leadership in computing research and education.
Strategic guidance
A dedicated advisory structure will guide the ongoing development of the AICR.
Addressing key recommendations of the AI Taskforce
This initiative directly responds to a crucial recommendation from the Governor's AI Task Force, emphasizing the urgent need to increase accessibility to high-performance computing resources for AI applications.
Partnership and collaboration
The initiative involves a formal partnership between Massachusetts and six member universities of the MGHPCC (Boston University, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts and Yale). The partnership framework is supported by key stakeholders, including the Executive Office of Economic Development, Executive Office of Technology Services and Security and MassTech.
The is a flagship initiative of the Massachusetts AI Hub aimed at unlocking the value of shared, high-quality and responsibly governed data to fuel AI innovation across sectors. Designed as a public-private partnership, the collaborative brings together state agencies, research institutions, startups and industry to co-develop a secure, interoperable infrastructure for data sharing and access. Initial focus areas include health care, climate, mobility and education with an emphasis on creating trusted pipelines of anonymized, representative data that can support research, product development and responsible deployment of AI. The collaborative also advances policies and frameworks for data stewardship, governance and equitable access which positions Massachusetts as a national model for data-driven innovation.
A groundbreaking 50-hour professional development pilot for high school STEM educators was launched on June 24, 2025 in partnership with the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council and Project Lead the Way (PLTW). Pilot programs such as these align with the task force recommendations by further positioning the MA AI Hub as a resource for Massachusetts educators, providing applied AI learning activities to inspire interest and reward problem solving efforts for the state’s school-aged students as well as to position Massachusetts as a leader in responsible and applied AI education and career readiness. Designed and delivered in collaboration with PLTW, a nationally recognized leader in STEM curriculum and educator training, this initiative is the first in the nation pilot of PLTW’s AI curriculum that positions Massachusetts as a national leader in the responsible and applied use of AI in education.
Key Outcomes
This pioneering program is designed to deliver tangible results, directly contributing to:
- Empowering educators
- Creating a thriving community of practice
- Significantly impacting student experience
The Massachusetts High School Summer Career Academy in AI is a pilot initiative designed to introduce 50 high school students to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence through hands-on learning, mentorship and real-world application. These students will be drawn from four sending districts, with priority given to schools located in Gateway Cities or those that are part of regional consortia.
The program aims to cultivate early interest in AI, expand access to high-quality STEM opportunities, and develop a more inclusive pipeline of future AI talent. By engaging students in collaborative projects and exposing them to career pathways in AI and related fields, the program not only empowers the next generation of innovators, but also strengthens the Massachusetts AI Hub’s long-term goal of building a diverse, homegrown workforce to support the state’s leadership in ethical and applied AI.
Program Highlights:
- Hands-on learning
- Mentorship
- Career skills
- College experience
- Showcase event on using AI to solve a real-world problem
Impact:
- Engaging 50 students from three to four districts
- Collaboration with five industry partners
- Employing two college interns as subject matter experts and near-peer role models
MA AI Hub is pursuing a public-private partnership with IBM and Red Hat to establish an incubator for Massachusetts-based AI startups. This partnership aims to create a space to support startups and complement the larger ecosystem.
The Sector Spark grant program provides funding to Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) to enhance their capacity to deliver specialized support to tech-based startups in Massachusetts. The grant provides access to operating funds to design and deliver high-quality entrepreneurial programming as well as an opportunity to access capital funds to build or procure new and novel infrastructure, equipment or resources that directly aid in the execution of proposed programming and acceleration of sector-specific startups.