This Month's Latest Tech News in Buffalo, NY - Saturday May 31st 2025 Edition

Buffalo, NY, is at the epicenter of a technological transformation as major AI investments surge, promising innovation while spotlighting social challenges. Governor Hochul's $275 million state investment is establishing the University at Buffalo (UB) as the headquarters of the Empire AI Consortium, a first-of-its-kind computing center supported by a $400 million public-private partnership to foster collaboration across leading universities.

This initiative finances UB's new Department of AI and Society, reflecting a statewide push for ethical, inclusive AI research; as Dr. Venu Govindaraju notes,

“That particular infrastructure, that resource is going to be located at UB's north campus…promising to be the most powerful computer structure anywhere in the world when it comes to academia.”

While these investments aim to expand research and job opportunities, they also call for strategic caution: global experts advise focusing on responsible innovation, privacy, and regulatory compliance as government oversight intensifies.

AI's rapid growth brings both promise and risk to Buffalo's economy, driving a new wave of interdisciplinary training and ethical oversight.

For a breakdown of the consortium's financial commitments, see the table below:

Funding Source	Amount
New York State	$250 million
SUNY (10 years)	$25 million
Private/Institutional Partners	$125+ million
Total Investment	$400+ million

Learn how SUNY and private partners are shaping the future of ethical AI in New York by focusing on real-world impact and inclusive economic opportunity in Governor Hochul's latest initiative for SUNY.

The University at Buffalo (UB) is launching a pioneering Department of AI and Society this fall, supported by a $5 million investment from New York State aimed at advancing artificial intelligence research and education for public good.

The new department, housed jointly in UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences, will offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees with an interdisciplinary approach - melding fields such as communication, health, public policy, the arts, and more.

Most funding will enable the purchase of high-performance computing resources and the hiring of faculty experts to expand UB's already strong roster of more than 200 AI researchers.

UB is not alone: the initiative is part of an eight-campus SUNY effort to foster ethical AI development and societal impact, and builds on UB's role hosting the Empire AI supercomputing hub, a $400 million statewide consortium.

As inaugural chair Atri Rudra explains, “The new AIS department will be a natural, central place for all these new ideas and pedagogies to develop, which will in turn, hopefully, put UB on the map as the place to be if you want to think about issues at the intersection of society and AI.” Major campus plans include a dedicated AI & Society Building with labs, conference rooms, and startup incubator space.

Governor Hochul emphasized the societal focus by stating,

“We're not just preparing students for AI - we're shaping how AI serves society, ensuring it strengthens communities and our economy.”

For more on UB's leadership in AI education, see this detailed university news release outlining the department's mission, the full scope of the state-funded AI initiatives across SUNY campuses, and a comprehensive overview spotlighting UB and New York's AI strategy.

University at Buffalo (UB) students are speaking out against Turnitin's AI detection tools after several graduate students were falsely flagged for AI-generated writing, sparking academic sanctions and delayed graduations.

The controversy, widely reported in GovTech's analysis of UB's student-led petition, highlights claims of inadequate transparency and inconsistent application of Turnitin's tool.

Mounting evidence shows that AI-written content detectors can be unreliable, with a Stanford study finding non-native English speakers are falsely flagged 61% of the time, putting international students at significant risk of unjust penalties.

The university insists it does not resolve dishonesty cases solely on AI detection results and says all software is closely vetted, but students contend the appeals process lacks robust checks and can have serious career consequences.

As Kelsey Auman, a student at the heart of the protest, explained:

“We're looking for jobs and going out into the real world so it can have serious consequences. It causes stress when we're just trying to graduate, and it can put you behind on a lot of other things, like being able to get a job.”

Across academia, institutions including Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and the University of Texas have discontinued similar tools after false positives, while others, like Turnitin, claim a false positive rate of less than 1% when minimum word count thresholds are met, according to Turnitin's own published research.

The ongoing debate underscores the need for improved safeguards, transparency, and critical evaluation of AI in academic integrity enforcement.

New York is charting a new course in public sector technology leadership, appointing Shreya Amin as its first Chief AI Officer to spearhead the state's AI strategy and ethical integration across government operations.

Amin, who brings over 17 years of experience in data science and digital transformation, will lead initiatives from the Office of Information Technology Services, refine statewide AI policies, and oversee responsible deployment of AI tools to enhance public services.

Her appointment is tightly linked to the rapid expansion of the Empire AI consortium, which recently secured $90 million in new capital funding and added member institutions such as the University of Rochester and Mount Sinai, fueling cutting-edge research in healthcare and climate science.

Amin's leadership underscores New York's broader commitment to workforce development and societal safeguards for AI, targeting equitable access and transparent governance.

As she stated,

“I am deeply honored and incredibly excited to join the State of New York as its first Chief AI Officer. This is an extraordinary opportunity to shape our future through responsible AI. I'm committed to leveraging AI to enhance services, facilitate operations, and drive data-informed decisions, ensuring ethical guardrails, equity, and transparency. Collaborating across agencies and with our communities, we will create meaningful improvements in the lives of our residents while positioning New York as a leader in government AI.”

The Empire AI initiative providing AI research infrastructure continues to serve over 200 researchers on its Buffalo-based supercomputer and supports projects like lung cancer diagnostics and adaptive therapies.

For a closer look at Amin's vision and the scope of her new role, review the details in this comprehensive profile of her appointment and AI leadership efforts.

New York is taking a leadership role in artificial intelligence by awarding $5 million in grants to eight SUNY campuses, including the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook, to launch and expand programs connecting AI research to societal benefit.

This multi-year initiative, announced by Governor Kathy Hochul, will support faculty hiring, student fellowships, new technology investments, and the creation of AI and Society departments with a focus on ethics, equity, and public good.

These departments will tackle diverse topics such as health equity, climate science, mental health, and responsible AI use, with each campus establishing unique interdisciplinary centers - building out a statewide Empire AI research network.

According to SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.,

“Artificial intelligence is a transformative technology and we want to make sure New York is a leader in the field, and particularly a leader in using AI to advance the public good”

(Buffalo News coverage of SUNY's AI expansion).

Notably, the investment at Stony Brook aims to make the new Department of Technology, AI and Society a

“first-choice destination for faculty and students who will lead the responsible shaping of the societal impact of artificial intelligence”

(Governor Hochul's announcement at Stony Brook).

For a complete overview of funded campuses and focus areas, see the table below. This initiative is integrated into the SUNY general education framework, ensuring every student graduates with AI literacy and an understanding of ethical innovation (Utica Phoenix highlights the statewide effort).

SUNY Campus	New AI & Society Department/Center
Stony Brook University	Department of Technology, AI and Society
University at Buffalo	Department of AI and Society
University at Albany	AI & Society College & Research Center
Binghamton University	Institute for AI and Society
SUNY Downstate	Global Center for AI, Society and Mental Health
SUNY ESF	Center for AI, Society, and the Environment
SUNY Poly	Institute for AI and Society
Upstate Medical	AHEAD Center (AI for Health Equity, Analytics, and Diagnostics)

“This is about more than preparing students for the future of AI. We're shaping how AI serves society - making sure it strengthens communities and supports our economy.” - Governor Kathy Hochul

Amherst Central High School is grappling with the aftermath of an incident in which a student used the AI tool Flow GPT to generate and share inappropriate images featuring the names and faces of peers and faculty, raising concerns about digital safety and student well-being.

The district immediately involved local law enforcement, and both school officials and Amherst Police concluded there was no evidence of deep fake pornography or criminal activity, treating the case as a student disciplinary matter.

As Superintendent Anthony J. Panella emphasized, the primary focus remains on providing support for affected students and ensuring a safe school environment. Parents are encouraged to speak with children about responsible technology use and reach out to counselors if needed.

Experts warn that such incidents, mirroring a troubling national trend, can severely impact victims' mental health and self-esteem.

“We take online safety and student well-being very seriously. Appropriate steps are being taken to address the situation and support those involved,”

said Principal Gregory Pigeon, as highlighted in WGRZ's report on Amherst High School's investigation.

The legal ramifications of AI-generated content were also explained by criminal defense attorney Barry Covert, who noted that producing AI-generated pornography depicting minors could constitute a federal offense, though no such material was found in this case.

Psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Weinstein urged families to provide open, nonjudgmental support to affected children, as reported by Yahoo! News's coverage of the AI misuse investigation.

The district remains committed to addressing AI photo concerns internally and has ongoing efforts to remove content from Flow GPT, detailed further in WIVB Buffalo's update on the Amherst Schools' response.

Buffalo State University recently sparked local interest in artificial intelligence through its hands-on “Augmented Human Intelligence in the Age of AI” workshop, held on April 19 at the Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center.

The event drew 80 enthusiastic students, faculty, and community members for deep-dive sessions exploring the practical intersection of human and artificial intelligence.

Attendees participated in parallel tracks ranging from mastering local language models and prompt engineering to seeing AI applied in personal finance and AP Calculus instruction, supported by multidisciplinary faculty and industry advisors.

Keynotes from Po-Shen Loh of Carnegie Mellon University and Ernest Fokoue of RIT emphasized ethical AI and the technology's transformative potential. The workshop also included vital discussions about AI adoption in higher education, and Provost Amitra Wall captured the spirit of the event:

“Learning how to use AI wisely is a critical skill for educators, professionals, and students. In this age of accelerated change, understanding AI is no longer optional - it's essential. At the intersection of human intelligence and machine learning lies a powerful opportunity not to replace human insight, but to enhance it.”

Buffalo State's initiative, detailed in the official workshop news release from Buffalo State University, is part of a broader effort to prepare the campus and wider Buffalo community for a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

For more, see the Buffalo State Daily Bulletin's overview of the AI workshop and access ongoing resources for AI in education via their Buffalo State University AI resource page.

The University at Buffalo (UB), in partnership with Florida Atlantic University (FAU), has been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the Air Force Research Laboratory to advance secure, AI-driven wireless communications vital to national security and economic competitiveness.

The grant will establish the Center of Excellence for Research and Education in Programmable Wireless Networks, focusing on the development of software-defined radio (SDR) and next-generation wireless network systems.

SDR, which leverages software for flexible, upgradable and interoperable communications, plays an increasingly crucial role in satellite, military, and public safety systems.

As Nicholas Mastronarde of UB notes,

“The University at Buffalo possesses the knowledge and resources, including faculty expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, to advance the nation's wireless networking system capabilities… We will fulfill a vital role addressing key technological challenges… providing outstanding mentorship.”

The initiative's core pillars include the creation of advanced algorithms for agile spectrum operations, secure high-performance hardware solutions, and comprehensive workforce development spanning from high school to PhD levels.

FAU's Dr. Dimitris Pados highlights the strategic impact:

“The military will operate in environments where the electromagnetic spectrum is fiercely contested... This issue goes beyond just connecting radios - it also affects vital systems like radar, GPS and navigation tools.”

For a detailed overview of the research program and its collaborative impact, see the official announcement from the University at Buffalo.

Learn more about the mission, leadership, and national defense priorities from the FAU Center of Excellence announcement, and read further about the center's strategic vision on the FAU President's blog.

Pillar	Focus
Advanced Algorithms	Enabling secure, agile spectrum operations and real-time autonomous decision-making
Secure Hardware Solutions	Developing robust processors, GPUs, and FPGAs powering next-gen SDRs
Workforce Development	Training engineers and scientists from high school to doctoral levels

Buffalo's PCA Technology Group, a staple in local IT services for over 30 years, was recently acquired by Netrio and Success Computer Consulting, marking a significant step in the ongoing transformation of the managed service provider (MSP) sector.

This acquisition aligns with Netrio's strategy to expand nationally and serve the growing technology needs of small and midmarket businesses, now leveraging PCA's strengths in managed IT, security, and custom application development.

Gina Murphy, President and Chief Transformation Officer of Netrio and Success, noted,

“With PCA, we're gaining valuable expertise and capabilities in the custom application development space, allowing us to deliver even more value to our clients. PCA's history of understanding small and midmarket organizations' needs and becoming an extension of their teams is exactly the approach we are looking for.”

The transaction comes as PCA's co-founders approach retirement, ensuring continuity and growth for its employees and clients under the Netrio brand.

The broader market context is one of rapid scale and specialization, as Netrio continues acquiring regional MSPs and now boasts over $100 million in revenue, positioning itself as a technology partner of choice for businesses across North America.

For a detailed overview, see the local report on the PCA Technology Group acquisition in Buffalo Business First, an analysis of MSP industry trends in Channel Futures' coverage of the Netrio and Success acquisition, and insight from business leaders on the sector's “critical turning point” in this interview with Microsoft VP and Netrio board member Lori Borg.

Google's AI Overviews are rapidly redefining how people discover “things to do in Buffalo NY,” reshaping both the local search experience and the dynamics of website traffic in the region.

Recent expansions have triggered AI-generated destination guides for over 93% of new travel queries and 76% of entertainment searches, leading to a 108% and 175% sector growth respectively - and effectively surfacing local activities, events, and dining options in a snapshot at the very top of results.

However, this shift comes at a cost: businesses and publishers are reporting up to a 70% reduction in click-throughs and organic traffic, particularly in travel, entertainment, and informational verticals, as Buffalo-area searchers increasingly find answers without ever visiting cited sites - part of a broader “zero-click” trend now projected to hit 70% of all queries by mid-2025 according to Search Engine Land.

The technical underpinnings, including Google's Gemini 2.5 model and new “AI Mode,” mean users can ask complex, local questions - like event schedules or curated family itineraries - and get authoritative, summarized answers with real-time options, pricing, and even booking steps all within Search as detailed in Google's official announcement.

For Buffalo's businesses aiming to stay visible, industry research recommends immediate local content optimization, hyper-relevant structured data, and reputation management to increase chances of becoming a cited source in AI Overviews - since over 99% of these AI summaries currently cite only the top 10 organic results.

“If Google is going to show an answer, make sure it's your answer.” – Chris Lottman, Director of Online Services, Whistler Billboards

Learn effective adaptation strategies from the detailed guidance on Whistler Billboards' deep dive into the impact of Google's AI Overviews on website traffic.

Buffalo businesses are encountering heightened litigation risks as rapid adoption of artificial intelligence intersects with issues of data security, liability, and evolving regulations.

A major example is the ongoing class action lawsuits against Serviceaide, an AI company contracted by Catholic Health System, after a data breach exposed personal information of more than 480,000 individuals, including patients and employees.

Plaintiffs allege that Serviceaide delayed breach notifications and failed to implement strong cybersecurity controls, which, according to legal filings,

"increased risk to affected individuals"

and left private data vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.

As AI-driven technologies - from chatbots to automated decision-making in hiring - become entrenched in the workplace, local attorneys warn that companies must proactively audit how data is used, accessed, and retained by third-party vendors.

Litigation risk extends beyond healthcare: in business and employment, new regulations, such as California's AI hiring rules, and lawsuits over allegedly discriminatory algorithms underscore the need for transparency, bias testing, and human oversight.

As attorney Matthew Pelkey noted at a SUNY AI Symposium,

“What is clear to me is that our clients will continue using these tools whether we as lawyers decide to or not...Maybe it is not a perfect solution, but if clients can get an 80 percent answer for a fraction of the cost, many will decide that is good enough. We, as a profession, need to figure how we can add value beyond what AI tools can provide.”

For a detailed breakdown of the Serviceaide breach and legal action, review Becker's coverage on the AI company sued over data exposure at Catholic Health.

Additional legal and ethical perspectives for Buffalo businesses navigating AI risks are explored by Colligan Law at the intersection of business law and AI ethics.

Practical guidance on managing AI-related legal risks can be found in Data Privacy + Security Insider's analysis of AI service provider class actions over the Catholic Health data breach.

Buffalo's emergence as a powerful AI and tech hub reflects both unprecedented opportunity and notable tension at this critical juncture. With over 400 million dollars invested through the Empire AI Consortium - anchored by a SUNY Buffalo-based supercomputing center - collaboration among leading universities is fueling ethical AI innovation, job growth, and public-interest research.

The University at Buffalo has quickly mobilized, launching a new Department of AI and Society backed by 5 million dollars in state funding, interdisciplinary faculty, and partnerships to ensure AI's positive societal impact, as detailed in recent campus reports.

Yet, as Buffalo races to the forefront, community debate intensifies over litigation, regulatory risk, and climate stewardship. The State of New York's strict legislative oversight - like the 2024 “LOADinG Act” and landmark hiring bias rules - aims to manage AI's ethical boundaries, while energy and environmental experts warn that ballooning data center demands could challenge statewide climate goals, as highlighted in this in-depth analysis of New York's AI and sustainability tradeoffs.

Today, Buffalo stands at a watershed moment - leveraging influential academic programs and state support to balance economic promise, social fairness, and responsible AI deployment, even as it contends with regulatory complexity and ecological responsibility.

The coming months will test its resolve to shape AI for the public good while ensuring inclusivity and protecting shared resources.