Cornell, LinkedIn partner to support AI research and diversity efforts

ITHACA, N.Y. — LinkedIn and the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College for Computing and Information Science (Cornell Bowers CIS) have launched a five-year strategic partnership.

It is funded by a multimillion-dollar grant from LinkedIn to support research in artificial intelligence (AI) and other areas as well as increase diversity initiatives within the college, according to a release on the Cornell Chronicle website.

The partnership provides annual funding to Cornell Bowers CIS to support doctoral students, engage faculty through research support, and amplify efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. It also establishes a research connection between scientists and engineers at LinkedIn with faculty and students at Cornell.

“This exciting partnership advances our commitment to being an academic leader of innovation for all students and allows for unique research collaborations with a forward-thinking, global company,” Cornell Bowers CIS Dean Kavita Bala said in the release.

The partnership will advance work in key AI research areas for LinkedIn including fairness and equity. It will also support underrepresented students. The commitment from LinkedIn will provide financial support to doctoral students working in strategic-research areas and support initiatives such as CSMore, a summer program from rising sophomores in computer science, and student groups including Under-Represented Minorities in Computing at Cornell, and Women in Computing at Cornell.

Currently, 43 percent of Cornell Bowers CIS’ 2,000 undergraduate students are women and 16 percent are underrepresented minorities.