Luddy showcased his philanthropical vision when his generous gift served as a catalyst for the construction of spectacular Luddy Hall, the home of the then-School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. Luddy Hall quickly become an interdisciplinary hotbed of innovation on the IU Bloomington campus.
In 2019, Luddy bestowed a historic gift that will propel the school into the future. In honor of Luddy’s generosity—the second-largest private gift in IU history—the school was named the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. Along with support for faculty and both graduate and undergraduate students, Luddy’s gift will allow the creation and construction of the Luddy Center for Artificial Intelligence, which will have an initial focus on AI approaches to digital health.
“Predictions are that 2050 may not be recognizable from today,” Luddy says. “Medicine, energy, transportation, communication, sustenance will all surely be radically different than today. In 1948, a group of scientists were already dreaming of AI and autonomous transportation, the very beginnings of which are upon us today.
“More has changed in the human condition in the past 200 years than in the prior 12,000 years. This change is non-linear, ever accelerating. My family and I are so pleased to be a small part of realizing this great vision started by President Herman B Wells and now carried on by President Michael McRobbie, supercomputer Big Red 200, and the many fantastic faculty and students who will learn, research, and create a wonderful future here with a vision to improve the human condition.”
Luddy Indianapolis
The IU School of Informatics and Computing at Indianapolis was renamed the IU Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering in Indianapolis on Jan. 11, 2023, aligning with the Bloomington campus.
