The University of South Florida ( USF ) has received a record-breaking$ 40 million donation from Arnie and Lauren Bellini to establish the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. The funding marks the largest product in the school’s story, and creates the earliest named university in the U. S. dedicated to integrating AI and security.
Arnie Bellini, a software entrepreneur and CEO of Bellini Capital, emphasized the necessity of security breakthroughs. ” The future of war, economic power and national security is digital”, he told a poet from University Communications and Marketing. ” Best now, America is under battle in cyber every minute of every day. We are failing to produce the skill and technology needed to defend ourselves. That shifts today”.
The creation of the Bellini College comes as the U. S. faces an increasing number of attacks and a significant lack of cybersecurity professionals. The FBI reported that cybercrime cost the country over$ 12 billion in 2023, yet there are currently more than 700, 000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs.
The fresh school, set to open this drop, aims to fill this distance by training professionals in AI-driven security measures. USF President Rhea Law described the program as a necessary step in national security. ” This college may create the talent and creativity needed to meet the escalating issues of the electronic era”, she said.
USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford added that the investment strengthens Tampa’s status as a world center for AI and security. With U. S. Central Command ( CENTCOM) located at MacDill Air Force Base and major cybersecurity companies such as KnowBe4 and ReliaQuest headquartered in the area, Tampa is being positioned as “Cyber Bay”.
The Bellini College may acquire a special “hub-and-spoke” model to cultivate interdisciplinary cooperation. According to Interim Dean Sudeep Sarkar, the college will serve as a central hub for basic AI and cybersecurity research, while spokes may extend into several scientific disciplines.
” The Bellini College provides opportunities for all of our schools and subjects to cross educational boundaries and to handle difficult difficulties”, said USF Provost and Executive Vice President Prasant Mohapatra. ” This is where researchers from medical, business, ethics, the art, and more can utilize technological advances, specifically related to AI”.
Examples of multidisciplinary applications include AI-powered tools in sociology, where researchers are developing a bot to help law enforcement and teach digital scam victims. In organization, AI-driven eye-tracking technologies and facial expression sensors are being used to evaluate consumer responses to marketing. Social science will even integrate AI to examine misinformation and virtual behavior patterns.
Triparna de Vreede, an assistant professor in USF’s Muma College of Business, sees the Bellini College as an opportunity to develop research on human-AI relationships. ” How does someone listen to AI? How does AI change their behavior”? she asked. ” This academy will enhance my job, and my work will increase the school”.
The Bellini College may produce undergraduate and graduate programs that incorporate AI and security into practical programs. It will also create partnerships with government agencies, security companies, and Fortune 500 corporations. Social AI development and accountable digital governance may be key aspects of the curriculum.
Bellini emphasized that the goal is for Tampa to guide the AI and security trend. ” Lauren and I are committed to ensuring Tampa doesn’t just keep up with the AI revolutionary – we lead it”, he said.
To encourage additional investment, Bellini has pledged to match up to$ 5 million in donations, aiming to raise an additional$ 10 million for the college.
” This program will be a game-changer for business, state and academia”, said Mohapatra. ” By integrating AI and security in one school, USF is creating a national model for preparing leaders in this fast growing area”.
With continued cooperation and the potential for new comprehensive degrees, the Bellini College is expected to play a crucial role in shaping AI and security developments both locally and nationally. ” USF is being courageous about putting this back and middle”, said Sarkar. ” There are many options, and this is just the beginning place”.