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NSF Launches $100 Million Program to Build State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs
On August 4, 2026, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) unveiled a $100 million initiative to establish state‑ and regional‑level artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure hubs. Titled the NSF State and Regional Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Hubs program, the effort aims to spark cross‑disciplinary research, expand workforce development, and broaden access to data and server resources.
NSF will supply core funding and act as a catalyst for partnerships that bring together state and local governments, research institutions, philanthropic groups, and private companies. Each hub will be a coalition that builds and operates advanced scientific computing resources for researchers, students, and educators in its region. The initiative seeks to widen access to critical AI tools, strengthen regional ecosystems, and cultivate the talent required to deploy AI technologies.
The program follows the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) report Science: A New Golden Age, issued in July 2026 by OSTP Director Michael Kratsios. The report urged the creation of a foundation for a new era of AI and called for federal support to accelerate AI‑enabled discovery.
In the first funding round, NSF plans to award up to ten hubs—one per state or multi‑state region. The announcement lists several industry partners that will participate, including NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Dell Technologies, Hangar, and the Secunda Innovation Fund. The hubs will connect researchers to new compute infrastructure that leverages contributions from state governments, academic institutions, industry, and philanthropy.
"Artificial intelligence is transforming how we conduct research, accelerate scientific discovery, and address complex challenges across disciplines," said Brian Stone, acting NSF director, in the statement announcing the program. "The state and regional AI Infrastructure Hubs program supports a national mission to advance AI for science by expanding access to critical AI resources, strengthening state and regional ecosystems, and developing the workforce capabilities needed to harness these technologies."
The initiative is part of NSF’s broader mission to fund fundamental research and education in science and engineering. It will integrate with national resources such as the NSF‑led National AI Research Resource, enabling hubs to share and surge resources beyond local capacity. It also aligns with the AI‑Ready America initiative, which focuses on training a skilled AI workforce.
The program arrives amid a broader federal push to strengthen U.S. AI infrastructure. The White House AI action plan, announced earlier in 2026, includes significant investment in data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, and AI research. The NSF hubs are intended to complement these efforts by creating regional centers that can serve as focal points for AI research and education.
State and local governments that participate will be responsible for securing additional funding and resources, while NSF will provide the core investment and oversight. The hubs are expected to accelerate AI‑enabled discovery across science and engineering disciplines and to support the development of a skilled technical workforce.
The announcement follows a series of federal initiatives aimed at expanding AI infrastructure. In addition to the NSF program, the federal government has announced investments in national AI research resources, AI‑ready education programs, and infrastructure upgrades in data centers. The NSF hubs are expected to play a key role in connecting regional research communities to these national resources.
By creating state and regional hubs, NSF seeks to foster collaboration across disciplines and sectors, ensuring that AI research and education are accessible throughout the United States. The first awards are slated for the fall of 2026, and the hubs will be evaluated on their ability to deliver advanced computing resources, support interdisciplinary research, and contribute to workforce development in AI. NSF will continue to monitor the program’s impact and may expand the number of hubs in subsequent funding rounds.
In short, the NSF’s $100 million State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs program is a targeted effort to build regional AI research capacity, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and develop a skilled workforce. The initiative aligns with federal AI policy goals and the Science: A New Golden Age report, and it represents a significant investment in the infrastructure that underpins AI research and education across the United States.
NSF will supply core funding and act as a catalyst for partnerships that bring together state and local governments, research institutions, philanthropic groups, and private companies. Each hub will be a coalition that builds and operates advanced scientific computing resources for researchers, students, and educators in its region. The initiative seeks to widen access to critical AI tools, strengthen regional ecosystems, and cultivate the talent required to deploy AI technologies.
The program follows the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) report Science: A New Golden Age, issued in July 2026 by OSTP Director Michael Kratsios. The report urged the creation of a foundation for a new era of AI and called for federal support to accelerate AI‑enabled discovery.
In the first funding round, NSF plans to award up to ten hubs—one per state or multi‑state region. The announcement lists several industry partners that will participate, including NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Dell Technologies, Hangar, and the Secunda Innovation Fund. The hubs will connect researchers to new compute infrastructure that leverages contributions from state governments, academic institutions, industry, and philanthropy.
"Artificial intelligence is transforming how we conduct research, accelerate scientific discovery, and address complex challenges across disciplines," said Brian Stone, acting NSF director, in the statement announcing the program. "The state and regional AI Infrastructure Hubs program supports a national mission to advance AI for science by expanding access to critical AI resources, strengthening state and regional ecosystems, and developing the workforce capabilities needed to harness these technologies."
The initiative is part of NSF’s broader mission to fund fundamental research and education in science and engineering. It will integrate with national resources such as the NSF‑led National AI Research Resource, enabling hubs to share and surge resources beyond local capacity. It also aligns with the AI‑Ready America initiative, which focuses on training a skilled AI workforce.
The program arrives amid a broader federal push to strengthen U.S. AI infrastructure. The White House AI action plan, announced earlier in 2026, includes significant investment in data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, and AI research. The NSF hubs are intended to complement these efforts by creating regional centers that can serve as focal points for AI research and education.
State and local governments that participate will be responsible for securing additional funding and resources, while NSF will provide the core investment and oversight. The hubs are expected to accelerate AI‑enabled discovery across science and engineering disciplines and to support the development of a skilled technical workforce.
The announcement follows a series of federal initiatives aimed at expanding AI infrastructure. In addition to the NSF program, the federal government has announced investments in national AI research resources, AI‑ready education programs, and infrastructure upgrades in data centers. The NSF hubs are expected to play a key role in connecting regional research communities to these national resources.
By creating state and regional hubs, NSF seeks to foster collaboration across disciplines and sectors, ensuring that AI research and education are accessible throughout the United States. The first awards are slated for the fall of 2026, and the hubs will be evaluated on their ability to deliver advanced computing resources, support interdisciplinary research, and contribute to workforce development in AI. NSF will continue to monitor the program’s impact and may expand the number of hubs in subsequent funding rounds.
In short, the NSF’s $100 million State and Regional AI Infrastructure Hubs program is a targeted effort to build regional AI research capacity, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and develop a skilled workforce. The initiative aligns with federal AI policy goals and the Science: A New Golden Age report, and it represents a significant investment in the infrastructure that underpins AI research and education across the United States.
