Mississippi’s higher education system should embrace AI

• Dr. Blake Thompson says public sector leaders are partnering with private sector companies and educational and nonprofit institutions to drive Mississippi to the forefront of the AI field.

It is often said that one of the most important requirements for major success is being in the right place at the right time. Our home of Mississippi finds itself in the right place at the right time. Mississippi is uniquely positioned to succeed as the world transitions to a knowledge economy driven by data and artificial intelligence (AI).

In my world of education, artificial intelligence has the potential of enhancing every aspect of our system, from preparing students for the global workforce to personalizing student learning experiences, regardless of their background or zip code. Through sound policy and the incredible work of Mississippi’s educators, we are already closing the achievement gap. Now, AI presents us with the chance to create a new gap where our students are ahead of those in the rest of the world. As just one real-time example, a Mississippi start-up company may soon infuse AI-generated holographic technology throughout our K-12 and higher education sectors. Mississippi is poised to lead the AI-learning future. 

The impact of artificial intelligence touches every aspect of our economy, with data being an essential component. As the largest, most profitable, and innovative companies in the world (collectively known as the “magnificent seven”) drive the AI economy, the road they collectively traverse is paved with data. Supercomputing capacity is required to process data, and the State of Mississippi ranks fourth nationally in the number of supercomputers – with two of the most powerful in the world located in Vicksburg and the Stennis Space Center. These supercomputers require plentiful resources like reliable energy. We have remarkable energy companies in Mississippi that provide reliable electricity to power them. In much the same way airplanes require runways, fiber infrastructure is required for data. We have one of the country’s major intersections of fiber infrastructure crossing beneath the rich dirt of our state. 

The recent announcement of Amazon Web Services places us squarely in the middle of the new AI economy. Few of us fully realize the magnitude of this data center complex locating in central Mississippi. Perhaps Governor Reeves does, and credit goes to him for positioning our state to lead in this space. We can expect major research and education opportunities in and around Amazon. We should also anticipate additional data center announcements to come to the state as well as new startup data companies being created here. 

AI’s applications extend in the private sector beyond data companies. Advanced manufacturing of batteries and autonomous systems, new materials for rocket engines and ocean structures, new cancer and other disease treatments, and new agriculture and public health strategies will all be directly conceived and implemented through AI’s capabilities. In another local example, an AI technology company based in Starkville was recently awarded a major contract with the Department of Defense to build and deploy AI-based air defense systems to defend against incoming missiles, drones, and other airborne security threats. Mississippi is already at the forefront of this new AI economy. 

I would add one component to the right place, right time commentary: the right people also matter. And we have them. Our Mississippi leaders in Washington, D.C. are positioned to influence virtually every segment of the AI economy, from defense and homeland security to energy, agriculture, and transportation. One of our former congressmen leads the trade association that represents these industry leading companies. Our governor, the state legislature and the Mississippi Development Authority have already positioned us as THE state for the private sector’s data center expansion efforts. 

Importantly, the academic and research capacity provided by Mississippi’s higher education sector is aligned to support both the government and private sectors. The Mississippi Cyber Initiative Summit, the Mississippi AI Collaborative, and the Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network are primed to lead higher education’s contribution to this space. In July, the Mississippi Association of Colleges hosted every two- and four-year institution in the state for a conference focused on this topic of artificial intelligence, appropriately entitled “Building Mississippi’s Future.” Conference participants heard an independently commissioned study by the Rand Corporation validating our capacity and potential as an AI research hub.

Mississippi is in the right place at the right time, and we have the right resources. Our public sector leaders are partnering with private sector companies and educational and nonprofit institutions to drive Mississippi to the forefront of the AI field. Mississippi is moving rapidly toward being to data and artificial intelligence what the Mississippi Delta has been to agriculture and Silicon Valley has been to the computer. 

I am thankful to be right here, right now.