The EDGE AI FOUNDATION was created to support, accelerate, and promote a global community of educators, researchers, and businesses bringing AI into the real world. As a result, it is crucial we periodically revisit how we invest and advance academic and research initiatives in edge AI. We are currently proposing the following updates to our AIP in 2026:
Budget (Brian): We will grow our investment in the AIP to $100,000. The AIP will be responsible for allocating the budget to the highest priority workstreams. We have also established “soft” budget targets for each individual workstream that the AIP can modify based on need as determined by the team via majority support (and a tie breaker from the chair if necessary).
Continued Support for Prioritized Academic Programs:: We will continue to provide up to $40,000 for academic program prioritized by the AIP via our scholarship program budget for events (e.g., programs in Malawi, Colombia ++ (Marcelo)), 😶🌫️publishing (e.g., San Diego CFP) (Eiman), university partnerships (Tinoosh), programs like mlsysbook.ai, focused academic conferences. and complimentary initiatives (e.g., Tinyml).
Pilot EDGE AI Fellows: We will provide up to $40,000 in matching funds for a pilot fellowship program for promising students focused on advancing the science and technology of edge AI. At the AIP’s discretion, this program may support either a set of mini projects (e.g., 3 month sprints) or a select set of longer projects (not to exceed a year). The student’s completed projects will be showcased at an EDGE AI FOUNDATION event.
Pilot Edge AI Industry Research Fellow: We wish to launch a pilot program in FY26 in which we accept proposals for new ambitious new research from our industry partners that can be reviewed and prioritized by the AIP. Selected proposals will then be funded by the partners, managed by an AIP leader, completed by the fellow, and showcased at an EDGE AI FOUNDATION event.
Expansion of the AIP (Hajar): Our AIP is crucial to the advancement of the foundation and its goals. Given the contributions of this group and the need for additional support we will grow the AIP to 10 active leadership members in 2026. The list of potential contributors has been compiled based on academic achievement, engagement with the EDGE AI FOUNDATION community and leadership, and their willingness to serve. The AIP may also decide to add a second group of “affiliate” members to assist the AIP Leaders with a more limited scope.
EDGE AI AIP Leadership Honorarium: Our AIP leaders will not only benefit from the program above, we will also provide an annual honorarium that they may use however they choose (e.g., travel to scholarship events, student travel, research) ($2,000 each active AIP leadership member for a total of $20,000). Active membership will be finalized by the AIP based on valued contributions (e.g., attend at least 50% of meetings, chair a working group, lead a scholarship event, sponsor a fellow). Affiliate members may receive other benefits (e.g., consideration for industry or foundation fellowships, complementary access to events, travel support) at the discretion of the AIP, but are ineligible for the leadership honorarium.
