Marist and IBM Launch AI-Focused Innovation Incubator

Marist University and IBM have launched an innovation incubator to give students and faculty hands-on experience with artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. This new initiative is the latest development in their over 50-year partnership.

The Innovation Incubator will include an IBM z17 mainframe, which provides high-performance computing capabilities for research projects involving students and faculty. The system is designed for enterprise computing and allows students to develop and test applications using technology intended for large organizations.

The incubator will bring together students, faculty researchers, and IBM experts to work on interdisciplinary projects spanning business, finance, polling, and civic engagement. Initial projects include testing autonomous AI agents in simulated marketing campaigns and examining how AI can improve polling methods and survey design.