Boston University has announced that it will launch the Kranz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity to apply the university’s Jesuit teachings to research technology. announced Early this month.
The institute is made possible through a gift from University Trustees Jason Krantz (BC ’95) and Keely Krantz (BC ’95).
“This gift will establish the Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity, which will leverage BC faculty, visiting scholars, and industry partners to explore the long-term opportunities and impacts of AI from a humanistic perspective, while instilling BC students with the judgment, wisdom, and critical thinking necessary to become ethical leaders in AI implementation,” the statement said.
The university did not disclose the amount of the couple’s donation, but called it a “transformative gift.”
Jason is Executive Chairman and Founder of Definitive Healthcare, a publicly traded data and analytics company. He is also Managing Partner and Founder of Breachway Capital, a venture firm focused on B2B software, data, and AI innovation.
“Given Boston University’s commitment to formative education and the Jesuit Principles of Ethical Discernment, we believe British Columbia is uniquely positioned to lead the conversation about the impact of AI, what that technology means for humanity, and how best to utilize it in the service of others,” he said in the announcement.
Keely is the president and founder of. Odell Women’s Centeris a nonprofit organization that provides career and educational opportunities to low-income women in Western Massachusetts.
“We want to see values and ethics as foundational elements in how the world approaches AI and AI education,” Keely said. “Additionally, we hope that BC students will use their formative education and insight to help guide and improve future applications of AI.”
British Columbia had already begun investing resources in AI research before the Kranzes’ donation. The university has more than 30 faculty members teaching courses on AI, and 11 faculty members have received external AI research grants, according to the announcement.
The Kranz Institute wants to build on existing investments by creating internal opportunities and fostering global learning. In addition to offering internships, seed grants and AI programs to BC students, the institute will also bring together pioneering scholars for future conferences and symposiums on AI and ethics.
“Boston University, and Boston as a whole, should be a forum where leaders from a variety of disciplines, including computer scientists, executives, government leaders, theologians, and ethicists, come together with faculty and students to discuss the impact of this important technology on the future of humanity,” Jason said.
Kiely added that the institute aims to place the university at the center of human-centered AI innovation.
“The Kranz Institute aims to be different from what we have seen in higher education and will help Boston University have a global impact on the future of AI,” Kealey said.
All nine B.C. schools will participate in the new institute.
B.C. aims to hire an executive director for the Kranz Institute for the 2026-2027 academic year, said David Quigley, the Robert L. and Judith T. Winston Provost and Dean.
For the time being, the institute will be led by Gregory Kalschur, dean of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, and Andrew Boynton, John Powers Family Dean and Linda Powers Family Dean of S.J. and Carroll School of Management.
Calschur and Boynton highlighted the potential far-reaching impact of the new institute, which aims to put Catholic and Jesuit thought at the center of AI learning.
“This investment will make the inquiry shared by faculty across disciplines more widely available and strengthen the education of our students, helping to develop men and women who are not only highly skilled, but also equipped with sound judgment, careful reflection, and insightful wisdom for a more just and humane future,” Professor Kalschur said.
Boynton noted that the Krantzes’ generosity reflects the university’s fundamental mission.
“When you combine our enduring motto, ‘Ever to Excel,’ with the generosity of alumni like Jason and Keely Krantz, Boston University becomes an unstoppable force,” Boynton said.
