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A data center project in Liberty includes a $27.75 million agreement to fund a newly formed nonprofit, the Liberty Institute for Science and Ethics.
Earlier this year, Liberty officials voted to approve $1.4 billion in bonds and $202.7 million in tax abatements over 25 years for a new Metrobloks data center.
The city stated that, in addition to $49 million in taxes for Clay County taxing jurisdictions, the developer and future tenants agreed to support higher education with a $27.75 million contribution over 25 years to the Liberty Institute for Science and Ethics.
Liberty Mayor Greg Canuteson said the institute has "no connection" to the data center company, despite Metrobloks funding it. William Jewell College will house the institute on its campus.
"It will be an institute that is dedicated to bringing original scientific research and examining the ethics of AI, robotics and artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies," Canuteson said.
Blane Baker, a William Jewell College professor involved in the project, emphasized the importance of understanding artificial intelligence.
"AI is a tool," Baker said. "So, as a tool we need to appropriately use it, and we need to appropriately know its limitations and its best just use for humanity," Baker said.
"This institute is going to help us really figure out how to appropriately use AI and the ethics of that. There are right and wrong ways to do things, and the ethics of AI will help us to develop those appropriate ways to use AI," Baker continued.
In a city council meeting, some Liberty residents expressed concerns regarding the nonprofit's subjection to the Missouri Sunshine Law, and the selection process for future board members.
"Will the nonprofit be subject to Missouri Sunshine Law requirements?" a resident asked in a city council meeting.
"After the initial board, how are future board members selected? Is there any public oversight of that process?" another resident asked.
The nonprofit was incorporated on March 20. The organization's incorporation documents show a lawyer in Jefferson City served as the incorporator.
"It’s common for a lawyer to file the organizational documents for a nonprofit. And so that's all that was, that he filed it for the nonprofit," Canuteson said.
According to the incorporation documents, the City of Liberty, acting through its elected city council, will appoint the first board of directors. Four of the seven board members are city council members, including the mayor.
"We wanted to make sure that we organized and helped implement the vision of the city," Canuteson said. "The board members all serve for free — it's all voluntary positions on the board."
Canuteson said the institute will be subject to Missouri nonprofit law and federal tax law, and audits will be made available to the public.
"Well, obviously, all nonprofits have to file 990s and, we'll, obviously, have an annual audit," Canuteson said. "It’s a Missouri non-profit — just like the Kauffman foundation."
Some operational details for the institute remain undecided.
"How it actually plays out and whether we spend money — 20% on scholarships or 25% on scholarships. Whether we bring in symposiums in the fall and in the spring..." Canuteson said. "What that looks like, all that will be done at a later time."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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