The University of Nebraska Foundation will receive a $250,000 donation from Google to support the advancement of artificial intelligence research and education across the University of Nebraska system. The announcement was made Nov. 25 during an event at Nebraska Innovation Campus.
The gift is part of a broader set of investments Google is making to support education in Nebraska. The funding will allow faculty and students to explore cutting-edge AI technologies, helping to position the University of Nebraska as a leader in AI innovation.
The event also included an announcement of a $930 million infrastructure investment from Google to expand its data center campuses in Lincoln, Papillion and Omaha. The investment is aimed at meeting growing demand for Google Cloud services, AI advancements and other digital solutions.
“The University of Nebraska is proud to celebrate with Google as they make a transformative investment in our state and in our future,” said Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold, president of the NU system. “Their generous gift underscores our shared commitment to harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, ensuring we remain at the forefront of research, teaching and public engagement.”
The donation comes as the university system intensifies its focus on AI. Earlier this year, the University of Nebraska launched a new undergraduate degree program in generative AI, a collaboration between the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. All four NU system universities are actively expanding AI-related programs and integrating the technology into teaching and innovation. A newly formed AI task force, composed of faculty and staff from various disciplines — including information technology, medicine, agriculture, engineering and library sciences — is exploring ways to collaborate across campuses and maximize the impact of artificial intelligence.
“The University of Nebraska’s work in AI, including the initiatives supported by this gift, is essential to our vision for the future,” Gold said. “As we strive to be an exceptional university system, we must also lead in understanding, utilizing and advancing emerging technologies like AI.”
