Welcome to AIVO News! Our newsletter features projects, events, and opportunities within the NSF AI Institutes Virtual Organization community.
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October 2025 Issue
Table of Contents:
- It’s a Wrap – Another Successful SAIL Conference
- Thank You from the NSF AIVO Team
- NSF AI-MI and NSF ARIA Introduction
- Welcoming Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Partners
- Ed4AI Program Unveils the AIVO AI Education Portal
- Free Digital Textbook: Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications
- AI-SDM and Navajo Technical University Host November 14 “Forum on Artificial Intelligence: AI Education and Community”
- Register by November 24: NSF TILOS’ Networking Lunch Reception at NeurIPS 2025
- AIFS and Partners Receive $2M from Bezos Earth Fund
- NSF AIVO Communications Office Hours Available On Demand
- How to Add Your Events to the AIVO Website
It’s a Wrap – Another Successful SAIL Conference
Thank You from the NSF AIVO Team and the SAIL Planning Committee
It’s always a joy to bring all of the AI Institutes together, and this year’s SAIL was no exception! While we missed our federal partners, discussions at SAIL prepared us to move full steam ahead on our many collaborations together.
In the coming weeks, presentations, photos, recordings, and resources from SAIL will be made available on the NSF AIVO Intraweb (for AI Institute members only — login required). If you don’t have Intraweb access yet, complete the AIVO Intraweb Access Sign-Up form.
We’re already planning for SAIL 2026 — our fifth annual conference. Join the SAIL 2026 Planning Committee to collaborate with us.
Speaking of planning, do you have an event in the works? We’ll have updates on the budget for SIGs/Workshops, Travel, and IESP grants soon.
NSF AI-MI and NSF ARIA Introduction
We were delighted to welcome our newest AI Institutes, the NSF AI-Materials Institute (NSF AI-MI) and NSF AI Research Institute on Interaction for AI Assistants (NSF ARIA), at the Day 2 dinner at SAIL!
AI-MI and ARIA have been active in the AI Institutes community since their inception in July. The PIs for AI-MI and ARIA, from Cornell University and Brown University respectively, attended SAIL along with members of their team and partner teams.
Welcoming Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Partners
This year’s SAIL was full of “firsts” – including our first-ever Graduate Student and Postdoc Workshop and Partner Showcase. This new programming was geared toward connecting student researchers, postdocs, and partners with the entire AI Institute community, supporting the conference themes of collaboration and education.
We’ll continue to offer graduate students, postdocs, and partners compelling programming and connection opportunities at SAIL 2026!
Another first at this year’s annual conference – an additional segment on Institute communications during the PM SIG meeting. Stay tuned for resources from both communications-focused workshops at SAIL.
Ed4AI Program Unveils the AIVO AI Education Portal
The Ed4AI Program proudly unveiled the new AIVO AI Education Portal during the recent SAIL Ed4AI Workshop, which brought together national leaders and educators to share strategies for expanding AI literacy and education pathways.
The workshop featured presentations on key initiatives shaping the future of AI education, including AI4K12 and AI4GA, the CRA Level Up AI Project, CSTA, ECEP Alliance, and EAAI, all offering valuable frameworks and resources to support K–12 and undergraduate AI learning.
Sessions from the NSF AI Institutes highlighted AI4ED and Ed4AI efforts through AIVO, in partnership with Google.org, alongside work on AI ethics curricula, AI-powered classroom tools, and interdisciplinary training models. Participants also joined an interactive Unposter Session, exchanging innovative curricula and workforce development resources.
The event concluded with a discussion on AI education standards and frameworks, led by NSF AIVO Director/PI Steve Brown and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Executive Director Jake Baskin, followed by the launch of the AIVO AI Education Portal — a centralized hub for AI teaching tools, frameworks, and collaboration opportunities designed to support responsible and inclusive AI education for all.
Explore the AI Education Portal today at education.aiinstitutes.org/ and see the broad range of resources we’ve already assembled – with more to come!
Free Digital Textbook: Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications
Looking for tips on how to become a more effective communicator?
Featuring real-life illustrations, practical applications, and a focus on skills-building and communication concepts, Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications helps you understand the broad methods utilized in communication – writing, design and layout, video production, social media creation, photography, media relations, policy communication, public relations, and much, much more.
Access the free e-textbook at anrcommunications.org/.
NSF AI-SDM and Navajo Technical University Host November 14 “Forum on Artificial Intelligence: AI Education and Community”
What if you could co-design a future where AI serves community resilience?
Join the NSF AI Institute for Societal Decision Making (NSF AI-SDM) and Navajo Technical University (NTU) on November 14, 9:00 am –1:00 pm MST, for an inspiring program that will give you the tools to understand AI and use, evaluate, and direct these new technologies toward your local needs and community growth.
You’ll hear about initiatives from NTU faculty, staff, and students supported by AI-SDM and their research into key AI applications in the community, including drones, language and cultural preservation, and entrepreneurship.
NSF AI-SDM & NTU “Forum on Artificial Intelligence: AI Education and Community”
- November 14, 2025
- 9:00 am –1:00 pm, MST
- Hospitality Center at Navajo Technical University
Lowerpoint Rd State Hwy 371, Crownpoint, NM 87313 - Zoom
- Learn more
- Registration
Register by November 24: NSF TILOS’ Networking Lunch Reception at NeurIPS 2025
Planning to attend NeurIPS? Connect with colleagues across the NSF Al Institutes network to share research interests and explore opportunities for collaboration!
The NSF AI Institute for Learning-Enabled Optimization at Scale (NSF TILOS) is holding a networking lunch reception at NeurIPS 2025 for industry partners and NeurIPS attendees affiliated with any of the NSF National Al Research Institutes. Register by November 24, 2025.
TILOS’ Networking Lunch Reception at NeurIPS 2025
- December 4, 2025
- 12:00 –2:00 pm, PST
- Mezé Greek Fusion
345 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
(3 blocks from the NeurIPS 2025 conference venue) - Learn more
- Registration
AIFS and Partners Receive $2M from Bezos Earth Fund
On October 23, 2025 the Bezos Earth Fund announced a $2 million grant to the University California, Davis-based AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS), the American Heart Association, and other partners for “Swap it Smart,” an AI-powered recipe formulation tool.
Reimagining What Food Can Be: Healthier, Tastier, and with Less Economic and Environmental Cost
The Swap it Smart project will build on ongoing work with AIFS’ FoodAtlas database and the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI), translating knowledge from these efforts into a user-friendly tool that can be widely adopted to improve the foods we eat – ensuring our food is healthy for both people and the planet.
Swap it Smart is designed to:
- Optimize flavor profiles and nutritional properties
- Lower economic costs and environmental impact
- Replace rare or costly ingredients with new and unexpected sources
To learn more, read the Bezos Earth Fund announcement, AIFS LinkedIn post, or UC Davis News post.
NSF AIVO Communications Office Hours Available On-Demand
AIVO Communications Office Hours are now on demand! Complete the Request Communications Consultation form to schedule an individual or group consultation or to request communications support.
If you’re interested in training or resources on a particular communications topic, please let us know.
How to Add Your Events to the NSF AIVO Website
Does your Institute have an event coming up? Add your event to the AIVO website!
There’s a guide on how to update the AIVO events calendar. Access the guide on the AIVO Intraweb (login required) in the Intraweb Guides section at the bottom of the Intraweb landing page.
You can also contact AIVO at aivo@ucdavis.edu to get your event added to the website.
