Hillsboro-area schools won't see the AI classroom boost state leaders promised when Nvidia suspended its teacher-training program in Oregon.

The chip giant paused its AI ambassador program in spring 2026 before certifying a single new ambassador in the state, first reported by the Oregon Capital Chronicle. That left $1.5 million in state funds unspent and a key piece of a high-profile deal between Nvidia, Gov. Tina Kotek and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) unfulfilled.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a graduate of Aloha High School and Oregon State University, signed the one-year agreement with Kotek and HECC Executive Director Ben Cannon in April 2025. The deal directed $10 million in state money toward expanding AI education in Oregon's schools and colleges.

About $8.5 million was granted in April 2026 to community colleges, universities and the nonprofit Oregon STEM through the Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology program. The remaining $1.5 million was earmarked for faculty to train as Nvidia AI ambassadors on college campuses. None of it has been spent, according to HECC spokesperson Endi Hartigan.

Faculty who applied got rejection emails instead.

A Southern Oregon University professor who applied received an email saying the program was suspended "until further notice," according to university spokesperson Joe Mosley. Oregon Institute of Technology spokesperson Ashley VanEssen said applicants at her school were told Nvidia was "restructuring the program internally."

"To my knowledge, our faculty have not received any additional updates since then," VanEssen said.

A Nvidia spokesperson confirmed the pause by email but would not explain why.

The K-12 side of the deal has also stalled. The agreement called for the Oregon Department of Education to work with Nvidia and schools to introduce foundational AI concepts. But department spokesperson Liz Merah said ODE "does not have any plans within the scope of the MOU." Kotek spokesperson Luke Harkins said in a statement that the governor supports the agreement's original intent to prepare Oregon's workforce.

The pause matters locally. Hillsboro sits at the center of Oregon's Silicon Forest, home to Intel, Nvidia and dozens of semiconductor firms. FAST Interim CEO Rob Stone said at a July 2026 press conference that only Taiwan, South Korea and "here in Oregon and Hillsboro" have such chip-manufacturing capabilities.

The Hillsboro School District, meanwhile, has been building its own AI strategy apart from the state-Nvidia deal. At an Oct. 28, 2025, board work session, district staff presented generative AI guidance, benefits for teachers and students, and a list of approved AI tools.

No timeline exists for when or whether Nvidia's ambassador program will resume. Neither the state nor Nvidia has announced next steps.