Boston — Today, during IBM’s Think 2025 conference in Boston, Governor Maura Healey announced major updates on the state’s effort to grow the artificial intelligence ecosystem in Massachusetts through the Massachusetts AI Hub. The Governor announced a $31 million state grant to expand access to sustainable high-performance computing that is necessary for AI innovation, the hiring of the first director of the AI Hub, and the exploration of a new partnership between the AI Hub, IBM and Red Hat to create a startup accelerator program for entrepreneurs to develop AI technologies and build cutting-edge AI businesses.
Governor Healey launched the Massachusetts AI Hub, a groundbreaking effort to make Massachusetts a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation, in December 2024. This pioneering initiative leverages resources authorized in the Mass Leads Act to support AI initiatives and drive cutting-edge collaboration between government, industry, startups and academia, pursue solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, and unlock economic opportunity for businesses and residents across the state.
“We are grateful to IBM for choosing Massachusetts for its global 2025 Think conference and we look forward to working together to strengthen Massachusetts’ rich network of investors and organizations focused on supporting AI entrepreneurs,” said Governor Healey. “Along with the investments we are making in the Massachusetts AI Hub, we are leveraging the expertise and resources at our disposal to advance the sector by promoting knowledge sharing and investing in intentional spaces for collaboration. Together, we’re positioning Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI and creating a cohesive ecosystem that is innovative, responsible and has a high impact on our state’s economy."
“The Massachusetts AI Hub will encourage companies and thought leaders to come together to solve the big challenges facing our world using AI,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Like so many other sectors of our technology and innovation economy, AI has the potential to change the way we live while also creating new, exciting partnerships. It’s necessary that we support this growth through centers of learning to bring people together.”
Through the $31 million grant, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is partnering with Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) to create the Artificial Intelligence Compute Resources (AICR) environment at MGHPCC to supply the compute and data capacity necessary for AI innovation. AICR will allow public and private higher education institutions, startups and businesses in the innovation ecosystem, and the residents of Massachusetts to access vital AI infrastructure.
AICR also cements a partnership between the state and MGHPCC’s six member universities, Boston University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts, and Yale University, to apply AI-driven innovation to specific sectors of the economy. Over the next five years, the partnership is expected involve joint investments from the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the MGHPCC universities that will reach an estimated $120 million investment with the potential to grow.
"It is great to see these new steps in the development of the Massachusetts AI Hub,” said John Goodhue, MGHPCC Executive Director. “The MGHPCC and its member universities are excited to be a part of this effort by the Healey-Driscoll administration to bring the combined energy and insights of government, industry and academia together to deliver near term progress, tempered by a long-term view, toward leadership in productive and responsible use of AI."
Earlier today, Governor Healey announced that the Massachusetts AI Hub is pursuing a public-private partnership with IBM and Red Hat to establish an incubator for Massachusetts-based AI startups. This partnership aims to create a space to support startups and complement the larger ecosystem.
“Artificial intelligence will be a key driver of economic opportunity over the next decade, and we look forward to bringing the Massachusetts AI Hub to life,” said Interim Economic Development Secretary Ashley Stolba. “Today’s announcements are another step towards capitalizing on our state’s unique opportunity to lead in the application of AI while building new companies and creating jobs. This important work will continue, and we look forward to working with IBM and Red Hat, MGHPCC, and the rest of the ecosystem.”
“In the first meeting of the Governor’s Strategic AI Task Force, it was evident that Massachusetts is well-positioned to be a leader in AI. The rich technology ecosystem here has a history of advancing innovation for the greater good,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder, who also served as co-chair of the Task Force. “Within Massachusetts state government, we lead innovation with the resident digital experience as our North Star. AI solutions that are adopted by state agencies are meant to enhance the delivery of government services, while ensuring that solutions meet strong AI procurement standards for safe and responsible AI. These efforts, combined with the leadership of the AI Hub, will keep Massachusetts in the lead.”
Additionally, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative announced the hiring of Sabrina Mansur, an experienced leader in the AI industry, to serve as the inaugural executive director of the Massachusetts AI Hub to guide the Hub in its mission to create an ethical and thriving AI ecosystem across Massachusetts. Mansur is the former head of strategic planning and execution at Torc Robotics and has more than 20 years of experience leading strategy and technology development in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and other emerging technologies in the public and private sectors. Mansur started in the role on Monday, May 5.
“MassTech welcomes Sabrina to lead this ambitious initiative that has so much potential for our state and region,” said Massachusetts Technology Collaborative CEO Carolyn Kirk. “Sabrina brings the expertise needed to build on the momentum for artificial intelligence in our state and to think through the uncharted territory in a measured way that will help unlock new opportunities in this sector."
Today's news comes in the wake of other major statewide investments in artificial intelligence. In February 2025, MassTech launched the Massachusetts AI Models Innovation Challenge, which will provide more than $3 million in funding to support groundbreaking AI model development projects in critical sectors of the Massachusetts economy, including advanced manufacturing, climatetech, education, financial services, health care, life sciences, and robotics. In March 2025, MassTech announced a grant of more than $1.9 million through its Sector Spark program, which supports entrepreneur support organizations across the state, to Cambridge-based LabCentral, which will use some of the funds to launch the first “Applied AI” program targeting artificial intelligence breakthroughs in biotech.
About the Massachusetts AI Hub
The Massachusetts AI Hub is Massachusetts’ central nexus for AI innovation and governance across industry, academia and the private sector. The AI Hub, supported by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, harnesses state resources and the top-tier talent to drive transformative change in the sector. With a focus on responsible AI development at its core, the AI Hub is committed to supporting Massachusetts as a global leader in fostering a collaborative, inclusive and ethical AI ecosystem. For more information, visit aihub.masstech.org.
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