This Month's Latest Tech News in Buffalo, NY - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

Buffalo is experiencing a transformative surge in AI and technology, with the University at Buffalo (UB) launching its innovative Department of AI and Society this fall, backed by a $5 million state investment aimed at ethical AI development and inclusive research.

As part of a sweeping statewide initiative, UB's new department - offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees - will drive interdisciplinary study by integrating AI into curricula across geography, health, public policy, communication, and the arts, while equipping students with high-performance computing labs, new faculty expertise, and incubator spaces for startups (read the official University at Buffalo announcement about the Department of AI and Society).

This milestone dovetails with New York's $275 million, 10-year Empire AI Consortium centered in Buffalo, positioning the region as a national AI powerhouse and propelling broader economic and workforce goals (explore details about the Empire AI Consortium and its impact).

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

said Governor Hochul, highlighting the far-reaching impact of these investments (learn more about the statewide initiative on ethical AI development).

The University at Buffalo (UB) is taking a historic step in tech education by launching the nation's first Department of AI and Society, backed by $5 million in funding from New York State and Governor Kathy Hochul.

Set to open in fall 2025, this interdisciplinary hub will offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees, integrating AI education across disciplines such as health, public policy, communication, and the arts, and leveraging UB's more than 200 AI-focused faculty researchers.

The state funding will be used not only for advanced high-performance computing equipment but also for hiring new faculty, as UB envisions the department as a catalyst for social, economic, and biomedical advancements at regional, national, and global scales.

“UB has a legacy of innovation in artificial intelligence that is stronger than ever. Our new Department of AI and Society will enhance that legacy by providing students and faculty with resources to broaden the university's scholarship to include the many ways in which AI can positively impact our region, nation, and world,” stated UB Deans Kemper Lewis and Robin Schulze in a joint statement.

“UB has a legacy of innovation in artificial intelligence that is stronger than ever. Our new Department of AI and Society will enhance that legacy by providing students and faculty with resources to broaden the university's scholarship to include the many ways in which AI can positively impact our region, nation and world.”

Alongside the academic expansion, UB plans a new AI & Society Building with computer labs, offices, conference rooms, and incubator space for startups.

UB's initiative complements the broader SUNY-wide push for ethical, interdisciplinary AI development, as part of the $400 million Empire AI initiative. For further details, read UB's official announcement on their new Department of AI and Society, Governor Hochul's AI funding initiative, and a feature from Government Technology on UB's leadership in advancing responsible AI.

New York State has made a significant move in the public sector AI landscape by appointing Shreya Amin as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, highlighting a commitment to responsible and innovative technology leadership.

With nearly two decades of experience in AI transformation across healthcare, education, and civic technology, Amin brings a strong track record of ethical data science and operationalizing AI at scale.

In her new role at the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS), she will refine statewide AI strategy, lead responsible adoption across state agencies, and enhance AI governance frameworks to ensure transparency, equity, and measurable benefits for New Yorkers.

As Amin stated,

"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."

Her appointment coincides with ambitious statewide initiatives such as the Empire AI Consortium, a $90 million public-private partnership driving advanced AI supercomputing at the University at Buffalo and supporting over 200 researchers.

This new leadership role aligns New York with a national trend toward embedding dedicated AI strategy in government, setting a precedent for other states. For a detailed overview of Amin's background and mandate, see the official announcement from the New York State Office of Information Technology Services, a comprehensive feature on the Rockland County Business Journal's coverage of New York's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer appointment, and a comparative public technology perspective in Government Technology magazine's analysis of New York's AI strategy in government.

Buffalo has surged onto the national stage as a powerhouse in artificial intelligence with the rapid rise of the $400 million Empire AI Consortium, anchored by the University at Buffalo (UB).

Funded by a robust public-private partnership and state leadership, Empire AI delivers supercomputing resources on a scale previously available only to tech giants, with its Phase Alpha system already supporting 85 projects and more than 250 researchers statewide.

The consortium's reach spans pioneering health care AI, accelerated drug discovery, cybersecurity, climate modeling, and broad societal challenges, fostering research collaborations across New York's leading universities.

Initiative	Investment	Key Capabilities
Empire AI Consortium	$400 million+ (State, university, foundation, private partners)	Statewide supercomputing, 96 high-end processors, 18-months ahead of schedule, scalable for 20X-40X more power

As Binghamton University's Jeremy Blackburn notes,

"By pooling resources from New York state and the six member universities to build something more powerful, I can complete my research on online antisemitism in a matter of weeks. It is hard to overstate just how much more this increase in computing power will allow me to accomplish."

UB's project portfolio includes AI-driven advancements in medical imaging, personalized therapies for motor neuron diseases, protective cybersecurity, and collaborative AI education.

Construction is underway for a dedicated supercomputing facility on UB's North Campus, solidifying Buffalo's status as a central node in New York's AI innovation landscape.

For more details on the consortium's launch and ambitions, explore Governor Hochul's official announcement of Empire AI, read Buffalo's in-depth coverage of Empire AI's launch and research impact, and learn about the transformative AI initiatives underway at UB via UB's AI research programs.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the University at Buffalo (UB) have secured a landmark $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to establish a Center of Excellence aimed at advancing military communications through artificial intelligence.

This new initiative focuses on dynamic electromagnetic spectrum operations, programmable and secure wireless systems, and national defense workforce development - key priorities as military communication moves beyond inflexible, legacy hardware.

The program, led by Dr. Dimitris Pados (FAU) with UB's Dr. Nicholas Mastronarde and Dr. Zhangyu Guan, addresses critical needs for spectrum resilience and adaptive systems amid emerging threats.

Dr. Pados explains,

“In the future, 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 that rely on the spectrum.”

The center will leverage advanced algorithms, secure hardware, and educational expansion to bridge the talent gap vital for next-generation defense.

In parallel, FAU's Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence has also received an $800,000 Department of Defense grant to develop high-end AI simulation and testing platforms, further establishing the university's position in AI-driven military research.

As reported by the South Florida Business Journal, this research investment is set to fuel national security innovation in both defense and space operations, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as NVIDIA's platforms for AI model training and deployment.

The multi-institutional effort marks a significant step forward in safeguarding secure communications for future military operations.

Meta has officially launched its standalone Meta AI app, marking a significant expansion of its generative AI offerings beyond direct integration with Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

Powered by advanced Llama 4 models, the app is available on iOS, Android, and the web, offering highly personalized voice and text interactions, image and video generation, and seamless integration with Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses and other devices.

A key feature is the Discovery Feed, creating a social hub where users can view, remix, and share AI-generated content, enhancing engagement across Meta's vast ecosystem - boasting about 7.5 billion monthly active users, far eclipsing competitors like ChatGPT's 600 million.

Table 1 compares core Llama 4 models and their performance:

Model	Active Parameters	Performance Benchmark	Key Features
Llama 4 Scout	17B	Outperforms Gemma 3, Gemini 2.0	10M token context, efficient deployment
Llama 4 Maverick	17B (128 experts)	Beats GPT-4o, Gemini 2.0	Multimodal, best performance/cost
Llama 4 Behemoth	288B	Outperforms GPT-4.5, Claude 3.7	STEM benchmarks, under training

Designed as a direct challenger to ChatGPT and Google Gemini, the Meta AI app learns user preferences from Meta profiles, supports multi-language conversations, and lets users control privacy settings, including what AI-generated prompts or images are shared.

As Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizes, the move aims to normalize constant, low-latency AI interactions in everyday life and set a new standard for digital experiences.

The release has drawn attention for its consumer-first approach, competitive technical benchmarks, and its vision to “build a more personal AI” - as highlighted by Meta:

“Started as a ring. Now Meta AI is its own thing! Experience the new standalone app designed to be personalized and social.”

For further details on the rollout and its industry implications, see the official Meta AI App announcement, an in-depth overview at Decrypt's review of Meta's new AI app, and comparative coverage of the Meta AI app's challenge to rivals by CNN.

Google's expansion of AI Overviews is transforming how people find information on searches like “things to do in Buffalo NY,” with major implications for local businesses and content creators.

Studies show that when an AI Overview is present atop search results, organic click-through rates drop by as much as 54.6%, and even the highest-ranking pages can lose up to 34.5% of their traffic, especially for non-branded informational queries.

According to SEO research from Search Engine Land, AI Overviews now appear in roughly half of organic searches and take up a significant portion of the results page, often pushing traditional links below the fold.

Engagement data further reveals that, while Google visits are up 9% since the rollout, session duration and page views per visit are falling as users increasingly get immediate answers and leave without clicking through - indicating what researchers call a “resolve and leave” behavior (see the analytics breakdown).

These changes have hit independent publishers the hardest, forcing many to rethink strategies, diversify traffic sources, and optimize for AI Overviews by following Google's EEAT guidelines, structured data practices, and concise Q&A-style content.

As one recent analysis put it,

“Google's shift to AI-generated answers means the old ‘create great content and rank on Google' model is no longer reliable alone. Business owners must build stronger direct audience connections and diversify marketing efforts.”

For Buffalo-based businesses, adapting to these shifts - by focusing on local SEO, review management, and audience engagement - is now essential for staying visible in an AI-shaped search landscape (full strategy and checklist here).

Buffalo's business community is navigating heightened legal risks as rapid AI adoption intersects with a wave of new state and local regulations. Recent New York legislative proposals, such as Senate Bill 1169 and Assembly Bill 768, aim to prevent algorithmic discrimination and require companies deploying high-risk AI systems to conduct regular audits, offer transparent disclosures, and provide affected individuals the opportunity to opt out and appeal automated decisions; non-compliance can result in civil penalties up to $20,000 per violation and potential private lawsuits, as detailed in K&L Gates' analysis of Q1 2025 New York AI law developments.

Local law firms, including those specializing in AI law and data governance, are advising Buffalo companies to implement robust privacy policies, ensure data protection, and prepare for independent audits to reduce liability, according to The Beckage Firm's overview on legal AI strategy.

The urgency is underlined by recent reporting: as one attorney notes, "the explosive use of AI has created litigation risks for companies," with generative AI posing unique challenges due to persistent data trails and audit requirements.

“Another litigation risk of generative AI is that it creates a data trail that must be ‘treated as any other data trail,'” Greene said.

To help organizations grasp their obligations, here's a summary table on core legal requirements proposed for New York AI deployers:

Obligation	Details
Transparency	Disclose AI use in decisions, notify affected parties
Audit	Pre-use, post-launch, and recurring independent audits
Opt-out & Appeals	Allow individuals to opt-out and provide human review
Penalties	Up to $20,000 per violation, private right of action

Buffalo firms are encouraged to stay abreast of changing laws, engage specialized legal counsel, and prioritize compliance; more insights on corporate litigation and risk management can be found in Buffalo Business First's report on AI and corporate litigation risks.

The Empire AI collaboration is rapidly transforming Buffalo and Upstate New York into national leaders in artificial intelligence research and innovation. Powered by a more than $400 million investment from state, private, and philanthropic partners, this unprecedented public-private consortium unites elite institutions like the University at Buffalo, Binghamton University, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, RPI, and CUNY to build the nation's top academic AI supercomputing center at UB - already piloted with the “Phase Alpha” launch in 2024 and running at full capacity for 85+ projects statewide.

Major funding, including a recent $5 million gift from Bloomberg LP cofounder Tom Secunda, is accelerating talent pipelines and research that tackles societal challenges from online antisemitism to climate change applications, assistive robotics, and critical infrastructure security.

As Governor Hochul emphasized,

“Whoever dominates the AI industry will dominate the next chapter of history and we want New York to win the race for the future. Our Empire AI Consortium will position New York State at the forefront of this burgeoning industry for decades to come.”

The initiative also spans the creation of new 'AI and Society' departments at eight SUNY campuses, boosting interdisciplinary education and public-good research.

With accessible supercomputing, robust governance, and a focus on responsible, ethical AI, the Empire AI Consortium is poised to drive job creation, innovation, and economic resilience across the region.

See more on the full scope of this initiative at the University at Buffalo's Empire AI projects, explore the vision behind the Institute for AI and Society at Binghamton University, and read Governor Hochul's remarks and legislative agenda for Empire AI's statewide impact.

Empire AI At a Glance	Details
Funding	$400M+ (State, private, philanthropic)
Participating Institutions	UB, Binghamton, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, RPI, CUNY, Flatiron
Initial Supercomputer (‘Alpha')	Launched 2024, 96 top-tier processors, 245th globally
Projects & Researchers	85+ projects, 250+ researchers statewide

Western New York is witnessing the rapid rollout of AI-powered gun detection technology in schools, as ZeroEyes, an industry leader, secured an affiliation agreement with New York's Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to make its system accessible to most districts in the state.

This partnership allows eligible schools to implement ZeroEyes' software at pre-negotiated, discounted rates, using financial and programmatic aid to help cover deployment, monitoring, and support costs for the 2025–2026 academic year.

The ZeroEyes platform analyzes over 36,000 video frames per second from existing security cameras, combining AI-powered detection with 24/7 human verification at its ZeroEyes Operations Center, and delivers real-time alerts to school officials and law enforcement - often within 3 to 5 seconds of detecting a brandished firearm.

As Dr. Brian Graham, Superintendent of Grand Island Central School District, explains,

“The ability to deploy [ZeroEyes'] cutting-edge AI gun detection technology through a BOCES Master License and Service Agreement is truly a game changer for districts across New York State.”

While the technology boasts success in thwarting threats in schools and public spaces nationwide, the debate continues as recent high-profile incidents such as the Antioch High School shooting in Tennessee raised concerns about system limitations, reminding educators and policymakers that AI detection should be only one layer in a broader safety strategy.

The table below highlights leading features of ZeroEyes' solution:

Metric	Value
Video Frames Analyzed/Second	36,000
Alert Time to First Responders	3–5 seconds
Coverage by Trained Technicians	24/7

Learn more about the Aid Agreement and school safety impact from the ZeroEyes & BOCES Affiliation Program Details, explore the industry-wide debate and case studies on AI gun detection software, and read ZeroEyes' official press release on their New York State partnership milestone.

The Empire AI Initiative is rapidly transforming Buffalo into a nexus of innovation, offering significant economic, academic, and research benefits for the region.

By attracting Series B investors and major venture capital firms, Buffalo is positioning itself as a vibrant growth stage ecosystem; business owners can find suitable partners for scaling AI startups via resources like this comprehensive list of Series B investors.

This wave of investment is complemented by robust workforce development and economic programs aimed at ensuring Buffalo's talent pool and infrastructure keep pace with technological demands, with platforms such as the Reshoring Initiative supporting local businesses and job creation.

As commercial real estate advisors expand services across New York State, Buffalo continues to attract institutional investors and global corporations, contributing to a thriving tech and innovation hub as outlined by Newmark's market insights.

Together, these developments mark a sustainable path toward academic collaboration, increased capital flow, and research-driven economic growth for Western New York.

Buffalo now stands at the forefront of America's tech future, driven by historic investments and an industry-defining commitment to responsible AI. With over $400 million in combined public and private funding, the Empire AI Consortium - anchored by the University at Buffalo (UB) - is powering a state-of-the-art AI supercomputing center designed to democratize access and foster public-interest research across New York State.

As Governor Hochul emphasized,

“Whoever dominates the AI industry will dominate the next chapter of history and we want New York to win the race for the future. Our Empire AI Consortium will position New York State at the forefront of this burgeoning industry for decades to come.”

UB's initiatives, including the launch of a first-of-its-kind Department of AI and Society, the SUNY AI Symposium, and ongoing interdisciplinary research, further cement the region's leadership in ethical, accessible, and innovative AI (see University at Buffalo AI Week).

The Empire AI facility prioritizes collaboration among top institutions such as Columbia, Cornell, NYU, and SUNY, to expand educational opportunities, launch AI-powered startups, and drive workforce development - while requiring annual financial transparency and strict privacy compliance (UB Department of AI and Society Launch Article).

As Buffalo's tech sector continues to flourish, now is an ideal time for aspiring tech professionals to upskill with industry-aligned training, such as Nucamp's Cybersecurity and Software Engineering bootcamps, which feature flexible payment options and scholarships for local talent (New York State AI Investment and UB Leadership Announcement).

Buffalo's momentum ensures its place as a key national hub for AI innovation and inclusive economic growth.