The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking public input on how to rapidly build a next-generation American workforce in artificial intelligence (AI) through its Genesis Mission, which aims to double U.S. science and engineering productivity over the next decade.
In a request for information (RFI) posted to SAM.gov on Jan. 16, DOE said it wants to train 100,000 American scientists and engineers in AI over the next decade to “lead the world in AI-powered science innovation and applications.”
To do that, DOE said that it wants feedback on how it can address challenges related to the “rapid mobilization of the full capabilities of our nation’s S&T [science and technology] enterprise and tightly coordinated efforts across DOE and its National Laboratories, universities, industry, and philanthropic organizations.”
The Genesis Mission, announced in late November, aims to unite a network of the DOE’s 17 national labs, industry, academia, and other scientific institutions on a digital platform powered by AI that will be used for scientific discovery.
In its RFI, DOE said that the Genesis Mission will also establish an “AI for Science and Engineering pipeline” at the undergraduate and master’s degree levels to focus on dual competencies in AI and scientific or engineering disciplines. It will also include expanded training and research opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral associates?.
“Further, this effort will include expanded training and research experiences for graduate students and post-doctoral associates to both contribute to the goals of the Genesis Mission and prepare for future careers in academia, national laboratories, government, and industry, with dual competencies in AI and science,” DOE said.
Specifically, DOE asked how it can catalyze and incentivize collaborations among national labs, higher education, and the private sector; what non-funding resources DOE and its user facilities can contribute; what experiential learning and real-world training opportunities students will need; which disciplines are best suited for AI-integrated programs; and how such efforts could be scaled nationally, including through community colleges.
AI skills shortages are growing in the United States. A report last month from the International Information System Security Certification Consortium found that most cybersecurity professionals have said that skills shortages now eclipse the impact of staff shortages.
Specifically, the report said that around one-quarter of professional (23%) are grappling with one or more critical skills needs. That list is topped by artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud security, with 41% and 36% of respondents respectively citing them as vital.
Recent federal initiatives to grow AI and emerging technology-related skills include a $145 million push from the Department of Labor to expand federal registered apprenticeships.