DURHAM, N.C. - Duke is partnering with artificial intelligence company OpenAI to produce a roadmap for how governments and academic institutions should incorporate AI into their research to accelerate the pace of new discoveries.
The partnership will also seek to determine which scientific disciplines are likely to benefit most from the technology.
Duke is one of 15 universities that has joined OpenAI's NextGenAI consortium to advance research and education with AI. Each university in the partnership - including Harvard, MIT, Oxford, the University of Michigan, Howard and the California State University System - will focus on using AI to solve specific problems.
OpenAI develops artificial intelligence models and known for its generative AI technologies including ChatGPT.
Duke and OpenAI are launching what's believed to be the first AI metascience research program, while also identifying the fields where AI can have the greatest impact and exploring new models for collaboration on AI between public and private sectors.
Sanford School professor David Hoffman and Fuqua professor Ronnie Chatterji will lead the initiative called Deep Tech at Duke. Chatterji was named chief economist at OpenAI in October.
Situated in the Sanford School, the interdisciplinary effort will bridge research, industry and policy to advance research and collaboration involving semiconductors, artificial intelligence quantum computing, climate finance and cybersecurity.
The Duke-OpenAI partnership will develop high-level forecasts of the economic benefits that will come from more fully incorporating AI into scientific research. This ranges from the productivity gains that will emerge as researchers do lab work more quickly to the GDP growth that will be fueled by new innovations and discoveries.
"Artificial intelligence tools have the potential to drive significant innovative solutions to large social problems through advancing science. Duke is a leader in the study of both the technical and public policy advances that will help realize that potential," said Hoffman, a professor of the practice at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy and managing director of Deep Tech.
"We are grateful for the collaboration with OpenAI to further our work and study how best to use artificial intelligence to advance scientific discovery."
Deep Tech at Duke is supported by the Office of the Provost, and through gifts and grants from philanthropic foundations.
Duke is uniquely suited to lead this new research program because of its long history of fostering close collaboration between academia, government and the private sector, according to OpenAI. The university helped establish the Research Triangle Park, which houses high-tech, biotech and research-focused companies that employ more than 60,000 people.
The park has since become a model for other states looking to leverage their own higher-education resources to boost local economies and create new jobs.
Founding NextGenAI partners also include the Boston Public Library, the University of Georgia, Sciences Po and the University of Mississippi.
"A close collaboration with universities is essential to our mission of building AI that benefits everyone. NextGenAI will accelerate research progress and catalyze a new generation of institutions equipped to harness the transformative power of AI," Brad Lightcap, OpenAI chief operating officer, said in a statement.
