The U.S Army has announced plans to establish a $7.5 million Department of Defense center of excellence (CoE) at Howard University to deliver AI technologies and shape the future.

The Howard University CoE will be managed by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, now known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory.

It will explore vital civilian applications and multi-domain military operations in three main areas. These include key AI applications for DOD, technological foundation for trustworthy AI technologies and infrastructure for AI research and development.

The center will be led by Howard’s Prof. Danda B. Rawat, professor of computer science and director of Howard’s Data Science & Cybersecurity Center.

Rawat said the agreement includes collaboration with ARL in research and publications, mentoring, internships, research workshops/seminars, training and research exchange visits at both ARL and Howard.

Researchers will begin their work in mid-November.