Armenia moves toward becoming AI research hub: Friends of YSU gathering opens new opportunities

From new computing power to more complex research

The YSU AI Computing Center, established in February 2026, has enabled research teams to broaden the scope of their work. Hrant Khachatryan, Group Leader of the Machine Learning Laboratory at the YSU Center for Mathematical and Applied Research, explained how these new capabilities are allowing researchers to tackle problems on a larger scale. 

"The amount of computing power our research requires changes from month to month. In March, the available resources even exceeded our needs, while in April and May they were entirely sufficient. By August, however, they were no longer enough, and we had to postpone some computations until the necessary resources became available. This also shows how the YSU team is learning to tackle more complex problems," he said.

The laboratory explores potential applications of artificial intelligence, particularly in robotics and materials science. The team's work and research proposals have been presented at leading international conferences and in scientific journals.

One of the next stages of the research is to run large-scale simulations using NVIDIA technologies to generate the data needed to train robots.

"Collecting real-world data to train robots is difficult, but we can now also obtain the necessary data through simulations," Khachatryan emphasized.

Opportunities for international research collaboration

How can the development of computing infrastructure strengthen Armenia's international competitiveness? This question was explored during a panel discussion featuring YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, NVIDIA Vice President of Physical AI Simulation Rev Lebaredian, SmartGateVC Managing Partner Areg Alimian and Hrant Khachatryan. The discussion was moderated by Armine Galstyan, Head of North American Operations at SmartGateVC.

The participants discussed opportunities for collaboration among universities, technology companies, the government and the Armenian diaspora, focusing on prospects for developing research infrastructure and using it to build international research partnerships. 

According to Lebaredian, access to advanced computing resources could help attract leading international researchers to Armenia and encourage collaboration with young local scientists.

"I believe that if we can bring such a system to Armenia, we will be able to attract leading researchers from around the world who are in great need of this kind of computing power. We will offer them access to these resources and the opportunity to collaborate with talented young people at our universities. They can come to Armenia for six months or a year and conduct their research here. But to use these graphics processing units, they have to be in Armenia," he said.

According to Lebaredian, the initiative has already attracted interest among researchers. Highlighting the potential of the infrastructure, he described it as "a machine that turns electricity into intelligence."

"The more systems like this we can acquire in Armenia, the greater our advantage will be," he said.

Supporting students and the next generation of scientists

At the gathering, the Rev and Rachel Foundation donated $100,000 and the Western Diocese contributed $50,000 to the Friends of YSU Foundation's endowment fund. Other friends and alumni of the university also provided support. 

During the evening, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan presented Rachel Lebaredian with the Zabel Yesayan Medal in recognition of her support for the university and the advancement of education and scientific research in Armenia. Support from Rachel and Rev Lebaredian has helped strengthen collaboration between YSU and those supporting Armenia's AI research community.

The gathering also paid tribute to the memory of Silva Karayan, Professor Emerita of Education at California Lutheran University and a board member of the Friends of YSU Foundation. Karayan, who died in September 2026, was posthumously awarded a YSU commemorative medal in recognition of her achievements in education, dedication to the university and contributions to the Armenian academic community. The award was presented to her brother, Ara Babayan. 

The funds raised will be used to finance student scholarships and research fellowships and expand YSU's Machine Learning Laboratory. This support will enable more students and young researchers to engage in scientific research and develop their research skills.