UofM Annouces New AI Research Center at AI + Cybersecurity Conference
FedEx Institute of Technology launches CERTAIN to drive AI discovery and impact; conference draws hundreds for a day of keynotes, sessions, and collaboration
The University of Memphis used its 2025 AI + Cybersecurity Conference as the stage to announce the launch of the new UofM Research Center for Artificial Intelligence – Center for Emerging Technologies in AI (CERTAIN), a hub designed to accelerate cutting-edge research and collaboration in artificial intelligence.
Housed within the FedEx Institute of Technology and led by Dr. Srikar Velichety, Dr. Xiaolei Huang, and Dr. Bernie Daigle, CERTAIN will position Memphis as a national leader in AI innovation and its applications across industries. “The UofM through its FedEx Institute of Technology has a responsibility of keeping our region at the cutting-edge of all emerging technologies that are changing the regional economy and our society,” said Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, EVP of Research & Innovation and FIT Executive Director.
The announcement capped a day that brought together hundreds of AI professionals and enthusiasts from industry, academia, government, and the community. Six sessions and two keynotes explored topics ranging from real-world AI adoption and broadband cybersecurity to grassroots innovation and AI-enabled cyber defense. Dr. David Bray opened the conference with a keynote on AI’s role in transforming governance and infrastructure, while Dr. Seth Dobrin closed with a vision for trust, resilience, and human-centered design in cybersecurity.
For those who missed a session—or want to revisit key discussions—the AICC 2025 podcast makes it easy to catch up anytime. The first three episodes are now live, featuring insights from leading experts shaping the future of AI and cybersecurity.
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Sponsored by the Memphis Society of Information Management (SIM), eBiz Solutions, 901 AI, and the University of Memphis, the event reinforced Memphis’ role as a crossroads for AI and cybersecurity innovation—while marking the beginning of a new era of AI research and impact at the University of Memphis.