As artificial intelligence rapidly grows and enters new spaces, departments must acclimate to new changes. SUNY Cortland is to participate in the statewide Advancing AI for the Public Good Initiative. The university plans to teach students how to use AI in a useful and ethical manner.
The earliest forms of Generative AI have been around for more than 50 years yet only started to rapidly evolve in 2023 when OpenAI released ChatGPT for public use. Users flocked to the site for help with simple tasks like organizing spreadsheets, getting an answer to a quick question, brainstorming, and more. The AI could generate wonky videos and photos that people posted for fun. However, as the AI was trained on millions of files, uses for it expanded. As of January 2026, the app gets 800 million weekly users. ChatGPT isn’t the only AI app, chatbots like Google’s Gemini, X’s (formerly Twitter) Grok, and TikTok’s Tako, have been integrated into all forms of digital media.
The harsh advancement of AI has raised many ethical concerns especially for the impact on society as it enters academic, personal, and workplace settings. SUNY Cortland plans to prepare students on using this technology in appropriate ways with Binghamton University, SUNY Broome, SUNY Delhi, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.
This new initiative is part of the Empire AI program launched by New York that will give students a free noncredit “AI prep for Careers” micro credential, expected to be ready by fall semester. Professor Chris Badurek, the Geography Department chair and co-coordinator of CAP, Computer Applications Program, explains how the new program will assist students
“We have students that do quantitative work,” Badurek said. “And they can apply some algorithmic functions to quantitative data in business, health care, sport management or whatever the case may be. And they learn to apply those functional tools in the way that’s going to bring value to the workplace.”
SUNY Cortland will receive approximately $100,000 in state funding for two new summer fellowship research opportunities developed for the program as well. A campus email sent out on Thursday (2/19) explained that two SUNY Cortland students will be picked to conduct a research project with AI. The program will run from May 26th, 2026 through August 1st, 2026. It is open to all majors, undergraduates, and faculty members. For those interested, applications are due by March 9th, 2026.
New York state Governor Kathy Hochul named Binghamton as the first independent university artificial intelligence research center in the US. The statewide Advancing AI for the Public Good Initiative will be supported by the supercomputer at the University of Buffalo.
“Through Empire AI, New York is ensuring the power of AI is harnessed responsibly,” Hochul said. “By bringing together SUNY institutions through these campus partnerships, we are furthering the use of AI for the public good and shaping a brighter future for all New Yorkers.”
Empire AI aims to increase NY’s schools research capabilities, generate economic value through faster research timelines, address social challenges, and educate students on responsible AI research.