US NSF launches $21.5 million Human-AI Cooperation Institute to advance AI in healthcare

The National Science Foundation has funded the AI Institute for Human-AI Cooperation (HAIC) with $21.5 million over five years, launching it at the University of Delaware’s Newark campus. Led by director Cathy Wu and managing director Eric Eaton, the institute brings together scholars from the University of Pennsylvania, Delaware State University, Princeton University and the University of Florida to create AI tools for healthcare, especially physical therapy.

Projects include sensor-based systems that can detect subtle patient cues, motion-tracking cameras for exercise monitoring, and real-time record retrieval to aid clinicians. The team emphasizes that AI will act as an adaptive teammate, preserving patient privacy through techniques like skeletal wire-frames and providing transparent decision-making. HAIC will also develop curricula and degree programs to train a workforce at the intersection of AI and health, ensuring ethical guardrails and clinician trust.