The University of Washington has named Noah Smith, professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and senior director of Natural Language Processing research at the Allen Institute for AI, as the University’s first vice provost and endowed chair for Artificial Intelligence. He brings more than 20 years of experience in AI research and education, and is committed to promoting AI literacy and responsible development aligned with the UW’s mission.
In this role, Smith (pictured) will lead the AI@UW Initiative, which aims to advance innovation, collaboration and ethical AI practices across the University’s teaching, research and administration.
This appointment follows two years of University-wide discussions on AI strategy and replaces the AI Task Force that was established in early 2024. AI@UW will include:
- An AI governance committee
- A new AI-focused website showcasing faculty and research
- SEED-AI grants to fund projects exploring AI in education and promoting AI literacy
The position and related efforts are funded by Lisa and Charles Simonyi, who established the Simonyi Endowed Chair and Fund for AI and Emerging Technologies. The Simonyis have a long history of supporting UW research and education.