University of Maryland-Baltimore County
MD · AI Readiness #124 of 227
AIREDEX™ Score: 6.8 /10
Appointed in 2025, UMBC's first Chief AI Officer now steers a university-wide AI strategy that gives undergrads access to Google Gemini, Amplify, and an AI and Machine Learning track in Computer Science led by Professor Lara Martin.
UMBC's AI Working Group has produced public guidance and an institutional AI identity, while the UMBC High Performance Computing Facility, with H100 GPU nodes and over 2 petabytes of storage, is open to students at no charge. Federal research partnerships, including a $13 million NSF institute led by Professor Vandana Janeja and a share of a $68 million Army Research Laboratory cooperative agreement, signal institutional momentum in AI research that undergrads can tap through programs like the Data Science and AI Scholars initiative.
Pillar grades
- Commitment: B-
- Curriculum: B-
- Partnerships: B-
- Research: A
A(I)ttitude™: neutral
Selected Highlights
- Dr. Anupam Joshi appointed as UMBC's first Vice Provost and Chief AI Officer effective July 1, 2025 -- university-wide role with explicit AI title.
- UMBC AI Working Group confirmed active with named chair (CAIO Joshi), cross-campus membership, and public output (AI logo guidance, Maryland AI Act compliance reporting) within past 2 years.
- DoIT AI Initiatives site plus CAIO role charge together address stated goals, governance commitments, ethical guidelines, and named programs -- meets 2+ criteria.
- UMBC Center for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) confirmed with 50-70+ affiliated faculty from multiple departments; active programming confirmed through September 2026.
- AI and Machine Learning track within BS Computer Science confirmed, with named track director Professor Lara Martin and required AI/ML courses.