U.S. Looks to Boost Non-Military AI Research

More than a year has passed since the U.S. government began taking the first steps into officially supporting artificial intelligence research. Now, AI has its own category in the president's budget request for 2020, with about $1 billion sought in funding for non-defense purposes. This level of funding, experts say, is still not enough to maintain the United States' competitive edge over China, which has been rapidly narrowing the gap in global AI research.

In May 2018, the U.S. federal government announced the creation of a committee of academics and private industry experts to examine the potential of artificial intelligence, followed by an executive order in February to double down on AI research. The president's budget request, published earlier this month by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), constitutes the "first-ever reporting of agency-by-agency federal investments" in artificial intelligence research and development related to nondefense purposes.

Read the full story and more in U.S. News and World Report.