National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish a program to award financial assistance for the planning, establishment, and support of a network of Institutes (as described in subsection (b)(2)) in accordance with this section. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and every other agency head may award financial assistance to an eligible entity, or consortia thereof, as determined by an agency head, to establish and support an Institute. An Institute described in this subsection is an artificial intelligence research institute that— is focused on— Financial assistance awarded under paragraph (1) may be used by an Institute for— An award of financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall be awarded for an initial period of 5 years. An established Institute may apply for, and the agency head may grant, extended funding for periods of 5 years on a merit-reviewed basis using the merit review criteria of the sponsoring agency. A person seeking financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall submit to an agency head an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the agency head may require. In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the agency head shall— In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), an agency head may collaborate with Federal departments and agencies whose missions contribute to or are affected by artificial intelligence systems. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish a network of Institutes receiving financial assistance under this subsection, to be known as the “Artificial Intelligence Leadership Network”, to coordinate cross-cutting research and other activities carried out by the Institutes. No funds authorized in this subchapter shall be awarded to Institutes outside of the United States. All awardees and subawardees for such Institute shall be based in the United States, in addition to any other eligibility criteria as established by each agency head.