NSF launches operations hub to cement national AI research infrastructure

The National Science Foundation announced the creation of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Operations Center, a hub designed to coordinate and sustain the agency’s AI research infrastructure. The center will link researchers with data sets and high-performance computing, while also offering user support and training. It follows the NAIRR pilot launched in January 2024, which connected academic teams with industry partners like NVIDIA, OpenAI and Microsoft and was originally set to conclude in January 2026.

Managed jointly by the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego and the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin, the operations hub aims to make the pilot’s successes a lasting national capability. The effort reflects priorities outlined in the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan released in July 2026, calling for expanded AI-enabled scientific research. Recent administration actions also included a large-scale grant termination program that cut funding for certain AI and deep-fake detection projects.