HUNTSVILLE – In promotion of Artificial Intelligence or AI for regional businesses, an upcoming launch ceremony for a new initiative is scheduled at the University of Alabama in Huntsville or UAH.

Interested individuals are welcome to attend the unveiling of the AI Research Collaborative or ARC on March 20 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the UAH Invention to Innovation Center or I2C.

The event will feature the session, “Weighing the Capabilities and Workforce Impacts of AI on the Tennessee Valley,” in ARC’s “Future Technology” series. I2C is leading the support for ARC, according to Rigved P. Joshi, Director of I2C at UAH.

“ARC will focus on three pillars: Education and Training, Employment, and Economic Development in the North Alabama region,” Joshi said. “By driving multifaceted partnerships between academia, industry and government, ARC aims to advance the science of Artificial Intelligence and enable its practical applications in research, innovation and problem-solving.”

“Serving as a neutral and trusted platform, ARC (is advocating) its goal to position North Alabama as a hub for distributed and collaborative AI research,” Joshi said.

ARC’s mission is to drive innovation, research and development while nurturing an inclusive and dynamic AI ecosystem in North Alabama. “ARC aims to be the catalyst for educational and economic growth, employment opportunities and collaborative research endeavors in the AI domain,” Joshi said.

The launch event will open at 2 p.m. with networking opportunities. UAH President Dr. Charles L. Karr will introduce keynote speaker Gen. (ret.) Gustave Perna.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle will address the audience at 3 p.m. A panel discussion will evaluate workforce impacts of AI on the Tennessee Valley with moderator Jeff Gronberg, CEO of Decibel Research. Panelists will include Karr, Battle and Shon Manasco, Senior Counselor with Palantir.

The launch’s last hour will be devoted to product demonstrations and networking.

Seating for the ARC launch will be limited, and organizers recommend that participants indicate their intent to attend. To RSVP, visit UAH_I2C_ARC.eventbrite.com.

Light refreshments and beverages will be available to the audience.

For more information, email i2c@uah.edu or visit uah.edu/i2c.