CMU said the Hub will support research projects, Ph.D. fellowships, and workshops to foster collaboration with Amazon. | Source: Carnegie Mellon University
Amazon and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) last week launched the CMU-Amazon AI Innovation Hub. The organizations said the hub will reinforce their shared commitment to advancing cutting-edge research through academic-private sector partnerships.
“The convergence of agentic AI, robotics, and natural-language processing represents an unprecedented opportunity to reshape how we live and work,” said Swami Sivasubramanian, the vice president of agentic AI at Amazon Web Services. “By partnering with CMU, a recognized pioneer in these fields, we’re creating an ecosystem where breakthrough research can be rapidly transformed into solutions that benefit society at large.”
The Hub’s initial focus areas leverage both institutions’ strengths in artificial intelligence and robotics, supported by Amazon’s global leadership in cloud computing and AI services. Research projects at the Hub will explore challenges in responsible AI development, advanced robotics systems, and next-generation cloud infrastructure. It will do this utilizing CMU’s cross-campus interdisciplinary approach.
The first Hub-sponsored research symposium will be held Oct. 28 on CMU’s Pittsburgh campus. It will bring together leading researchers from both institutions to share insights and establish collaborative research agendas.
Amazon and CMU to build on existing partnership
Amazon and CMU said the Hub will support:
- Joint research projects between CMU faculty and Amazon scientists.
- Ph.D. fellowships focusing on key technical challenges in AI.
- Regular symposia and workshops to foster collaboration.
The Hub builds on existing collaborations between Carnegie Mellon and Amazon. It will include research on generative AI, robotics, natural-language processing, and cloud computing technologies. As part of the collaboration, Amazon will provide substantial funding for research projects, doctoral fellowships, and community-building initiatives designed to accelerate innovation in foundational and emerging technologies.
“At Carnegie Mellon, we believe that true innovation happens when discovery and application move hand in hand,” said Theresa Mayer, CMU’s vice president for research. “By bringing together our faculty and students with Amazon scientists, we will harness some of the most promising opportunities in AI, robotics, and cloud computing. This partnership embodies our strategy to strengthen collaboration across disciplines with industry — creating new pathways for innovation that benefit society and expand the frontiers of knowledge.”
Amazon Web Services invests in AI
MassRobotics, whose shared research space is shown here, is providing support for the Physical AI Fellowships along with AWS and NVIDIA. | Source: MassRobotics
In addition to working with partners in academia, Amazon is investing in AI with its industry partners. The company last week launched the Physical AI Fellowship, alongside partners MassRobotics and NVIDIA. Through the program, these organizations will provide support to startups developing robotics and automation.
The first cohort of the fellowship is made up of Bedrock Robotics, Blue Water Autonomy, Diligent Robotics, Generalist AI, RobCo, Tutor Intelligence, Wandercraft, and Zordi. Each fellow will receive $200,000 in AWS cloud credits and embedded support from scientists and engineers at the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center (GenAIIC).
Participants will also have access to NVIDIA platforms such as Isaac and Cosmos, plus Deep Learning Institute credits and hardware/software discounts through the NVIDIA Inception startup program.
MassRobotics will provide testbed and ecosystem support, including its shared workspace, its community of 100 resident startups, and access to more than 30 corporate sponsors. The program will culminate in high-visibility showcases at AWS, NVIDIA, and MassRobotics events, including re:Invent 2025.
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