NSF AI Education Act of 2026

This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create or expand education and professional development programs related to artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies. It authorizes scholarships, fellowships, grants, and outreach activities, with a focus on underserved and rural areas, and requires that all activities are subject to available funding.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including 'artificial intelligence,' 'community college,' 'emerging research institution,' and 'EPSCoR institution,' by referencing existing federal education and defense laws.

Sec. 3, Undergraduate scholarships for AI education: The NSF Director shall award merit- or need-based scholarships to undergraduate students for studying AI development, deployment, or quantum hybrid computing, and separately for AI in agriculture, with preference for students at rural, Tribal, or minority-serving institutions.

Sec. 4, Graduate scholarships for AI education: The Director shall award merit- or need-based graduate scholarships for AI or quantum hybrid computing, AI and agriculture (with rural/Tribal/minority preference), AI teaching in K-12 and higher education, and AI in advanced manufacturing.

Sec. 5, NSF AI professional development fellowships: The Director shall establish a program for fellowships that promote exchange between higher education and industry in AI and emerging technologies, covering tuition, fees, and a stipend for professionals in STEM or education.

Sec. 6, AI training for land-grant colleges and universities: The Secretary of Agriculture, with the NSF Director, shall award grants to land-grant colleges for AI in agriculture, including research, educational resources for rural areas, and AI tool deployment.

Sec. 7, Quantum fellowships and scholarships: The Director may establish or use existing programs for quantum information science fellowships and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate STEM students, with competitive merit-based awards and ethics requirements for federal placements.

Sec. 8, NSF outreach campaign: The Director shall run a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about NSF AI and quantum education opportunities, prioritizing outreach to underserved and rural areas.

Sec. 9, Community college and vocational school centers of AI excellence: The Director, with Commerce and NSF regional programs, shall designate at least five regionally diverse community colleges or vocational schools as Centers of AI Excellence, with at least 20 percent in EPSCoR states.

Sec. 10, Award program for research on AI in education: The Director shall make competitive awards to institutions of higher education or nonprofits for research on AI teaching models and tools, focusing on K-12 students from low-income, rural, or Tribal populations.

Sec. 11, NSF awards for AI resources: The Director shall make awards to educational agencies, institutions of higher education (including emerging research, EPSCoR, minority-serving, HBCUs, Tribal colleges, community colleges), and technical schools to increase access to AI tools, with preference for geographic diversity and underserved institutions.

Sec. 12, Guidance for AI in elementary and secondary education: Within two years, the Director, with the Education Secretary and other officials, shall develop public guidance for using AI in K-12 education, including considerations for rural and economically distressed areas and STEM versus liberal arts applications.

Sec. 13, NSF grand challenges for AI education and training: The Director, with Labor and Education Secretaries, shall support prize competitions to stimulate innovation in training one million workers by 2030 in AI, overcoming barriers, avoiding worker displacement, increasing women's participation, and ensuring rural benefits.

Sec. 14, Criteria on gift acceptance and public-private partnerships: The Director shall establish criteria within 180 days to ensure that accepting contributions under this Act does not compromise NSF's integrity, including verification regarding foreign ownership, control, or influence.

Sec. 15, Activities subject to funding: All activities under this Act that are subject to this section are required only if sufficient funds are appropriated or made available by Congress.

Sec. 16, Research security: Activities authorized under this Act must comply with research security provisions in the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.

Sec. 17, Workforce frameworks for critical and emerging technologies: The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is directed to develop and maintain workforce frameworks for critical and emerging technologies and STEM domains, updating them at least every three years.

Sec. 18, Restrictions on awards to certain institutions or recipients: The Director may not award funds under this Act to any educational institution or related nonprofit that has been found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 due to discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics on or after January 1, 2020.