The City University of New York announced in March 2026 that it will award $3 million to 113 campus-led initiatives through its new AI Innovation Fund, a one-year systemwide grant program funded as part of Governor Hochul’s efforts to position New York as a leader in artificial intelligence.
According to CUNY’s official announcement, the projects are centered around four core areas: Student and Academic Support, AI in Courses, Addressing Ethical and Social Implications of AI and AI Education and Literacy.
“The CUNY AI Innovation Fund will harness artificial intelligence to support learning while safeguarding academic integrity and equity,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez in the March 12th CUNY press release.
“These projects will transform our campuses into laboratories of AI exploration, empowering our community to pursue practical, responsible uses for AI. We thank Governor Hochul for her support, which will strengthen New York City’s position as a center for AI-driven research.”
The first core area focuses on using AI for student support, including writing, tutoring, wellness and career centers. Brooklyn College will use AI agents, a system that autonomously performs tasks. These agents will address food insecurity, which CUNY describes as one of the biggest threats to student success by learning from real-time data.
The CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy will create an AI-powered navigator to help students access mental health resources, legal support and health insurance information. The project will create a centralized hub to ensure CUNY’s student population can access health, safety and wellness information.
The second core area will develop new courses or updates to integrate AI. John Jay College of Criminal Justice will build a college-governed AI proxy website that provides students with access to premium AI models.
CUNY’s announcement states that AI is reshaping academic work, but high-quality AI models require paid access, creating a new digital divide between those with the financial means to benefit and those without. The system will use prepaid API credits purchased at institutional rates to offer students exposure to AI tools without incurring personal expenses.
Borough of Manhattan Community College will infuse AI into CS0, CUNY’s introductory computing Gen Ed Pathway course that reaches thousands of students annually.
The third core area examines the ethical, social and cultural implications of AI integration in education. LaGuardia Community College will launch a 12-week practicum that educates students on the use of AI tools in service of incarcerated individuals. Students will learn to process and analyze legal and personal correspondence requests received via mail, using AI responsibly to bridge the digital access gap.
The fourth core area supports a deeper understanding of AI and creates opportunities for faculty, students and staff to learn using AI tools. Hostos Community College will incorporate AI literacy into the Hostos First-Year Seminar. The English department will develop a curriculum to ensure that incoming students receive foundational experience in responsible AI engagement.
Medgar Evers College will also implement a simulation lab for aspiring social workers. According to CUNY’s announcement, many students struggle to meet the demands of traditional work hours for needed experience. The lab will offer immersive practice simulations that mirror real-world interactions allowing learners to practice assessment, rapport-building, decision-making and culturally responsive communication.
According to an article published by the Baruch Ticker, the AI Innovation Fund is a one-year program. Apart from the fund, CUNY is home to more than 200 AI-related initiatives including a new AI postdoctoral fellowship, a Master of Science in generative AI at CUNY SPS and a Bachelor of Science in data science and AI at Lehman College. Last August, the University launched CUNY AI for Everyone (AI-One) to give students across all majors the opportunity to build AI fluency and workforce skills.
113 new projects are moving forward and students will be watching to see if the investment delivers.
