On April 4, the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) held its Advance Armenia New York Reception at the Harvard Club of New York City, uniting the Armenian community around nurturing future innovators in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in Armenia.

At the heart of the event was FAST's Generation AI program, which aims to create the entire educational path of an AI researcher and innovator, from school to university. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the first pilot phase of the school component of the program commenced in September 2023 in 16 high schools in 7 regions of Armenia. Today, it enables about 400 students to start their educational path in this innovative field free of charge.

This was the foundation's first reception in New York and it managed to gather around 200 prominent and devoted Armenian community members. The donated funds will go towards the continuation of Generation AI and will cover the 3-year educational journey of 70 students.

Among the speakers of the event were the founders of scientific, entrepreneurial, and humanitarian initiatives and companies Dr. Noubar Afeyan and Dr. Garo Armen.

The co-founder and chairman of Moderna, the founder and CEO of Flagship Pioneering, and the co-founder of FAST, Dr. Noubar Afeyan, highlighted what makes Generation AI stand out to him, “When I first heard about Generation AI, I thought they are talking about Armenian intelligence - AI. Tonight, I want you to go home thinking that what we should be doing by supporting this organization is to put the AI in AI. We can give our Armenian students the capabilities and the courage to play in artificial intelligence and enable the next generation to compete globally.”

Scientist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) Dr. Garo H. Armen, spoke of the need to unite our forces, "Today we have a tremendous opportunity to create something extraordinary. But we can only do this when we work together and collaboratively. There is tremendous potential in Armenia. I'm confident that FAST programs will help unlock and propel the potential of countless young Armenians to new heights. Let us work hand in hand to create a future for every Armenian child where they have the opportunity to thrive and where innovation and education are the driving forces of our success. Together we can build an Armenia that stands as a shining example of what is possible when people unite behind a common cause. Together, we take this important step towards that future."