The state will work with semiconductor designer Nvidia to establish an “AI Ambassador Program” that puts artificial intelligence faculty and technical experts on Oregon college campuses.
“Oregon will not only prepare our workers, businesses, and public service professionals for a prosperous future, we will lead the way,” Kotek said in a written statement.
Money for the program comes from the Oregon CHIPS Act, a package of legislation from 2023 that designated more than $500 million in state funds to support the semiconductor industry with direct subsidies, workforce training and tax incentives. The $10 million comes from projects that sought state subsidies but didn’t ultimately advance.
Nvidia dominates the artificial intelligence market with advanced chips that give computers the power to engage in complex reasoning. The company is based in Silicon Valley but has an engineering outpost in Washington County. Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang went to high school in Aloha and graduated from Oregon State University.
In 2023, Huang and his wife Lori donated $50 million to develop a supercomputing research center at Oregon State University in Corvallis.
Nvidia has similar educational agreements in other states, including California and Utah.
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