In 2024, Massachusetts signed into law the Mass Leads Act, investing nearly $4 billion to bolster the state’s economy, including a focus on AI development. The legislation led to the creation of the Massachusetts AI Hub, an entity to oversee the ethical deployment of AI and support collaborative partnerships between state government, the tech industry, startups and academia through grants, technical assistance and other resources.
“Massachusetts recognizes how AI can solve business challenges and ultimately create new, good paying jobs statewide,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a public statement. “The MA AI Models Program is taking a laser-focused approach to specific industries that seek to improve pediatric health, strengthen coastal resilience and make our advanced manufacturers more competitive.”
MA AI MODEL INNOVATION PROGRAM WINNERS
Northeastern University received two grants, the first being $504,043 to create an AI platform that provides real-time risk assessments for coastal regions in-state. The project will focus on supporting local decision-making during weather and environmental events, with pilot programs planned in Marshfield and Woods Hole.
The university also received $16,500 to support the development of an open source product design tool. The AI-powered software is intended to make advanced design modeling more accessible across a range of industries, such as fashion and manufacturing.
The third winner in the higher-education sector was Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), which received two awards: The chemical engineering department received $381,931 for waste management and clean energy innovation, specifically to develop an AI-driven digital twin designed to convert mixed waste into renewable fuel through hydrothermal liquefaction, the technology that facilitates this sort of energy transformation. The university’s Manipulation and Environmental Robotics Lab also received $279,731 to continue working on an automated data set generation system to strengthen the accuracy of AI in industrial recycling. The project is designed to enhance sorting and recovery processes at material recovery facilities.
Other winners included Boston Children’s Hospital, which received $200,014 to develop an AI system to improve care for children with Crohn’s disease, and the private nonprofit EarthDNA, which received $1 million to deploy three AI models to increase recycling in the footwear industry.
“By investing in practical, domain-specific AI models, we are accelerating innovation and growth in industries that matter most to Massachusetts,” Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley said in a public statement. “Our efforts to increase sustainability and advance next-generation manufacturing will position our state as the best place to build and deploy cutting-edge AI solutions.”
