Clemson Symposium showcases the future of AI across disciplines

Industry leaders, researchers and students gathered at the Madren Conference Center April 17–18 for the 2025 Clemson University AI Research Symposium—a two-day exploration of how artificial intelligence is reshaping science, healthcare, infrastructure and ethics.

The event drew participation from multiple Clemson colleges and seven companies affiliated with the University President’s Industry Council companies: Siemens, Johnson Controls, Fluor, Arthrex, IBM, Boeing and Michelin.

Additional industry partners included Microsoft, SAS, and VAST Data. IBM, Michelin and Unisys also provided sponsorship support, reinforcing the event’s emphasis on public-private collaboration in advancing AI research.

Clemson President Jim Clements said the symposium exemplifies the University’s role as a national leader in AI research and demonstrates the power of collaboration between academia and industry to drive meaningful innovation.

“The Clemson University AI Research Symposium is an incredible opportunity to showcase the work we are doing between our faculty and industry partners,” said Clements. “Together, we are researching and answering some of society’s greatest challenges, and we are also equipping our students with the right tools to become successful leaders in the AI era.”

Edward Harbour, retired Vice President, IBM Cloud Platform Client Success, said the symposium reflects how academic-industry partnerships can accelerate the responsible development of AI technologies, especially in high-impact sectors such as healthcare.

“Collaborating with leading universities like Clemson helps us advance AI in ways that are both innovative and ethical,” Harbour said. “Together, we’re shaping technologies that improve lives and solve real-world problems.”

Freddie Page, Director of Application Development-Americas for Michelin,  said the symposium underscores the importance of connecting academic research with real-world challenges, particularly as AI becomes central to innovation in manufacturing and mobility.

“Events like this create a critical bridge between research and application,” Page said. “They help ensure that AI breakthroughs in the lab translate into solutions that move industries—and society—forward.”

Chris Arrasmith, Chief Operating Officer at Unisys, said the symposium highlights the importance of building AI solutions people can trust—solutions that work for the right reasons.

“At Unisys, we believe AI should be as trustworthy as it is powerful,” Arrasmith said. “This symposium creates space to explore technologies that not only solve hard problems, but do so in ways that are ethical, secure, and truly transformative.

The symposium featured four parallel session tracks, spanning topics from healthcare and materials science to human-centered AI and digital modeling, as well as poster presentations and tech workshops with global companies including Johnson Controls, Microsoft, Michelin, Siemens, SAS and VAST Data.

Kuang-Ching “K.C.” Wang, the C. Tycho Howle Endowed Chair of Collaborative Computing, said the symposium reflects Clemson’s commitment to cross-disciplinary research and gives faculty a unique opportunity to engage with peers and industry leaders at the forefront of AI innovation.

“This event gives our faculty a rare chance to exchange ideas across disciplines and with industry, sparking collaborations that can push our research in exciting new directions,” he said. “It’s exactly the kind of environment that accelerates innovation and helps us stay ahead in a rapidly evolving field like AI.”

Angie Leidinger, Clemson’s senior vice president for External Affairs and senior advisor to the Board of Trustees, said the symposium highlights the university’s focus on building strong industry partnerships that drive real-world impact.

“This event reflects Clemson’s commitment to driving innovation through meaningful partnerships,” Leidinger said. “It demonstrates the real impact we can make when we connect our faculty and students with industry to address today’s most urgent challenges.”