Arizona State University (ASU) has announced a new partnership with Aethir, a company specializing in artificial intelligence infrastructure, to expand the use of AI and blockchain technologies in education. The collaboration will begin at ASU’s Endless Games and Learning Lab, where faculty and students will work on real-world applications of AI in game-based learning.
The global market for AI education is expected to exceed $30 billion by 2032. However, many educational institutions face challenges due to high costs and limited access to advanced resources. Through this initiative, ASU and Aethir aim to provide students and faculty with direct access to advanced AI tools.
Aethir will contribute up to $3 million in computing resources for student-led projects, applied research, and interactive learning experiences at the Endless Games and Learning Lab during the 2025–26 academic year.
“This partnership with Aethir gives us the infrastructure backbone to accelerate the future of game-based learning,” said Mark Ollila, founding director of ASU’s Endless Games and Learning Lab. “With access to scalable, enterprise-grade compute, we can co-create with AI and begin to model what ambient learning emerges through gameplay. It’s a foundational step toward realizing the full potential of ‘play to learn.’”
ASU invested more than $900 million in research and development in fiscal year 2023, including $100 million focused on strengthening U.S. AI semiconductor capabilities. The university is recognized as one of the fastest-growing institutions for AI research in the country.
Aethir operates what it describes as the world’s largest distributed cloud GPU network, covering over 435,000 enterprise-grade GPU containers across 93 countries and delivering more than 930 million compute hours so far. This infrastructure aims to broaden access to decentralized cloud computing for various AI uses.
By combining ASU’s leadership in education with Aethir’s technology expertise, both organizations hope their partnership will serve as a model for other universities globally while advancing ASU’s position as a center for AI research and workforce skill development.
“As a leader in decentralized AI infrastructure, we’re excited to work with ASU to enable scalable, real-world educational applications,” said Paul Thind, chief revenue officer of Aethir. “We’re thrilled to support the next generation of students and researchers, and look forward to discovering how AI and edge computing can unlock new possibilities for learning, creativity and collaboration.”
ASU has also been recognized for its innovative approach; it was named number one in innovation by U.S. News & World Report for eight consecutive years according to https://news.asu.edu/20220911-university-news-asu-no-1-innovation-us-news-world-report-eighth-year?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=asu&utm_campaign=ASURankings&utm_term=USNWR.
Additionally, ASU has engaged in other technology partnerships such as working with Argos Vision—a tech startup developing smart traffic cameras—to improve safety through data analysis within Phoenix city streets according to https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/street-transportation/2420.
