The gift, made by their Simons Foundation, will be the largest unrestricted donation to an institution of higher education in US history, according to a statement Thursday. The funds will go toward Stony Brooks endowment.

That pool is now expected to grow to $1 billion in contributions, thanks to a New York State matching program and other philanthropy inspired by this gift, the foundation said in the statement.

I just love Stony Brook, Simons, who met his wife there and is a former chairman of the schools math department, said during a news conference in Manhattan, where he was joined by Governor Kathy Hochul and university President Maurie McInnis. It is just a wonderful institution in every respect.

Stony Brooks endowment held $370 million before the gift was announced. 

With this investment, Stony Brook will not only be the flagship of the New York State system, but a national flagship, Simons Foundation President David Spergel said at the news conference. We will use these funds to make Stony Brook truly a world center. 

Naming Rights

The fact that there are no naming rights attached to the Simons Foundations gift is unusual and comes at a time when theres a debate over the merits of attaching the names of very wealthy people to institutions.

Laura Angel-Lalanne, a partner at Schulte Roth & Zabel who works with both high net worth families and nonprofits, said naming rights are a good way for institutions to attract donors and for donors to burnish their legacies.

Its almost like theres a menu, Angel-Lalanne said. For X dollars, you have a named professorship. For X dollars, you can have a named space. For X dollars you have a named room or a named program. 

Take Citadel founder Ken Griffins recent $300 million gift to Harvard, which came with a newly renamed Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The Simonses started their foundation in 1994 to advance research in math and basic sciences. Jim Simonss RenTech employs mathematicians to detect predictive patterns in market data. His net worth is $27.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

In May 2022, the Simons Foundation announced a $56.6 million gift to Stony Brook to help provide scholarships, housing and stipends to 50 new students each year in the STEM fields. In 2019, Marilyn Simons gave a personal gift of $25 million to the economics department to help develop a pipeline for underrepresented minorities and women in economics.

However, with the advent of generative A.I., we are on the cusp of realizing the full potential of remote and hybrid work by reducingwhile not eliminatingthe benefits of office visits. A.I. is not just a futuristic buzzwordits a transformative force thats reshaping the workplace and redefining the meaning of work itself.

Each week, I discuss hybrid and remote work with business leaders. In recent months, our conversations have centered on how generative A.I. can help us unlock the full power of remote and hybrid workforces. That includes enabling more effective information sharing, enhancing communication and collaboration, improving productivity and efficiency, supporting knowledge management and skill development, and ensuring security and privacy.

Communication and coordination

No more watercooler gossipbut who needs it when A.I.-powered tools can help us share information and coordinate more effectively than ever? A.I.-driven applications reduce the need for physical office spaces, making remote work a breeze by facilitating instant access to relevant data and documents, streamlining communication channels for optimal collaboration, and providing intelligent recommendations for meetings, resources, and priorities. Imagine your office as a well-orchestrated symphony, with A.I. as the virtuoso conductor.

By integrating A.I. into information-sharing systems, remote workers can quickly locate the necessary resources to complete their tasks, reducing the time spent searching for documents or waiting for colleagues to respond to queries. This efficient distribution of knowledge empowers employees to work independently while still maintaining a sense of connection to their colleagues and the organization as a whole.

Loneliness and isolation can be remote works kryptonitebut A.I. comes to the rescue with innovative solutions that empower communication and collaboration. By harnessing the power of A.I., remote workers can leverage smart tools to enhance video conferencing, document sharing, and project management. A.I. can help remote workers video conference like pros by adjusting factors like lighting, the background image, and even the smoothness of participants faces. This helps remote workers look their best on camera and ensures that they can put forward a consistent, professional appearance. A.I. also makes live video conferences more efficient and accessible by providing features like real-time transcription, translation, and captioning.

Productivity and teamwork

In a remote work environment, knowledge is power, and A.I. is the key to unlocking it. A.I. empowers remote workers to access and share knowledge by identifying experts and curating relevant content tailored to individual needs. By using natural language processing and machine learning, A.I. can understand queries and provide personalized answers, enabling remote workers to access timely and relevant information. A.I. can also curate and organize information from various sources and present it in a user-friendly way, streamlining the process of locating and absorbing knowledge.

A.I.-driven platforms can match skillsets and interests for optimal team formation, creating virtual teams that work harmoniously to achieve common goals. Remote workers can engage in peer-to-peer learning and mentoring through A.I.-curated content and resources, fostering a sense of camaraderie and encouraging the exchange of valuable knowledge and experience. Say goodbye to the lonely remote worker, and hello to a thriving, interconnected remote workforce.

A.I. is a productivity powerhouse that can free remote workers from the shackles of repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value activities. With A.I.s help, remote workers can automate mundane tasks and streamline workflows for maximum efficiency. By analyzing patterns in employee behavior and performance, A.I. can identify areas for improvement and provide tailored recommendations for optimization. This enables remote workers to manage their time effectively and prioritize tasks in a way that maximizes productivity and minimizes burnout.

A.I. supports skill development by personalizing learning paths and offering customized resources for remote workers. By analyzing individual strengths, weaknesses, and interests, A.I. can recommend targeted training programs and learning materials that enable remote employees to continually expand their skillsets and stay competitive in the job market. A.I. also facilitates the exchange of best practices, feedback, and advice among peers, creating a supportive and growth-oriented remote work environment.

Cybersecurity and privacy

Remote work often raises concerns about data security and privacybut A.I. has our backs. A.I.-powered tools can help ensure the security and privacy of remote workers by detecting and preventing cyberattacks with advanced threat intelligence. By continuously monitoring networks and devices for any signs of unauthorized access or malicious activity, A.I. can quickly identify potential vulnerabilities and neutralize threats before they escalate.

Additionally, A.I. can encrypt data and enforce policies to safeguard sensitive information, ensuring that remote workers can confidently access and share company resources without compromising security. This is especially important in industries that handle sensitive data, such as finance and healthcare, where a security breach could have severe consequences.

Health and wellbeing

By identifying patterns of behavior that may indicate burnout or other mental health concerns, A.I. can alert remote workers and their managers to potential issues before they become serious problems. This proactive approach to mental health can help create a healthier and more supportive remote work environment, fostering long-term employee satisfaction and retention.

A.I. could even improve the well-being and quality of life of remote workers by monitoring health indicators, providing feedback and reminders, and predicting mental health issues. By analyzing data from wearables and other health monitoring devices, A.I. can provide personalized recommendations for maintaining physical and mental well-being. This might include suggestions for exercise, diet, and sleep, as well as reminders to take breaks and practice stress-reducing techniques.

Managing A.I. risk

While the benefits of generative A.I. for remote and hybrid work are immense, its important to recognize and address the potential risks associated with the widespread adoption of A.I. technology. By proactively managing these risks, organizations can confidently harness the power of A.I. to revolutionize the way we work.

One potential risk is the legal liability associated with A.I.-driven decisions and actions. As A.I. systems become increasingly sophisticated and autonomous, questions arise about who is legally responsible when an A.I. system makes an error or causes harm. Organizations must take steps to ensure that clear guidelines and regulations are in place to determine the extent of their liability in such cases, as well as establish robust governance frameworks for A.I. decision-making.

Another challenge to consider is the potential for bias in A.I. algorithms. Since A.I. systems are trained on vast amounts of data, they may inadvertently learn and perpetuate existing biases present in the data. This could lead to unfair treatment of certain individuals or groups, resulting in legal and ethical concerns. To mitigate this risk, organizations must prioritize transparency, fairness, and accountability in their A.I. systems by conducting regular audits, using diverse training datasets, and ensuring that stakeholders are involved in the development and deployment of A.I. technology.

Privacy and data protection are also critical concerns when using A.I. in remote and hybrid work environments. Organizations must ensure that they are compliant with data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and implement robust privacy policies to safeguard personal information. This includes obtaining explicit consent from remote workers to collect and process their data, as well as implementing strong encryption and access controls to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or misuse.

Moreover, the reliance on A.I. technology in remote work may raise concerns about job displacement and the future of work. While A.I. can automate repetitive tasks and improve productivity, theres a risk that some jobs may become obsolete, leading to workforce displacement and social disruption. To address this challenge, organizations must invest in reskilling and upskilling their workforce, ensuring that employees can adapt to the changing job landscape and remain competitive in the age of A.I.

A final series of risks are more existential, associated with uncontrolled A.I. Top A.I. experts and funders, ranging from Elon Musk to Steve Wozniak, signed a letter asking for a six-month pause on training A.I. systems. Some experts even propose a full shutdown on further A.I. research. Giving control of more and more systems to A.I. that doesnt have human-aligned motivations indeed seems risky, and we need to make sure that our increasingly powerful A.I. models serve the interests of humanity.

The benefits of generative A.I. for remote and hybrid work are immense. By enabling more effective information sharing, enhancing communication and collaboration, improving productivity and efficiency, supporting knowledge management and skill development, and ensuring security and privacy, A.I. is revolutionizing the way we work and making it less important than ever to go to the office.

Still, its crucial for organizations to proactively manage the associated risks and ensure legal liability is properly addressed. By doing so, they can confidently embrace A.I. technology to unlock the full potential of remote and hybrid workforces and pave the way for a more flexible, efficient, and fulfilling work experience.

The future of work is hereand A.I. is becoming the driving force behind this transformation. As we continue to embrace A.I. technology, we can unlock the full potential of remote and hybrid workforces and pave the way for a more flexible, efficient, and fulfilling work experience. Its time to embrace the A.I. revolution and harness its power to redefine the very concept of work, creating opportunities for growth and innovation that extend far beyond the confines of the traditional office space.

Gleb Tsipursky, Ph.D., (aka the office whisperer) helps tech and finance industry executives drive collaboration, innovation, and retention in hybrid work. He serves as the CEO of the boutique future-of-work consultancy Disaster Avoidance Experts. He is the best-selling author of 7 books, including Never Go With Your Gut and Leading Hybrid and Remote Teams. His expertise comes from over 20 years of consulting for Fortune 500 companies from Aflac to Xerox and over 15 years in academia as a behavioral scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill and Ohio State.

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

More must-read commentary published by Fortune:

Brian Levine, a former partner at Goldman Sachs, is the interim Chief Executive Officer of Major League Pickleball, which launched in 2021 and now has a $5 million prize pool.  

When Tom Brady made a captivating video about why he feels passionate about pickleball, that literally doubled our followers in one day, said Levine. It doubled when LeBron James announced that he was buying the New York Hustlers team. And so you get that opportunity, but youve gotta close in that opportunity, right. Because that could be fleeting.Play Video

With billions of dollars being pumped into the sporting industry, Bloomberg News is looking at which game might be the next to explode, illustrating how money and dealmaking are reshaping what we watch starting with pickleball.

Initially a kids game first invented in 1965, investors from LeBron to Eva Longoria have recently piled into the sport. The slew of celebrity buyers has helped increase the number of participants 159% from 2020, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. 

Getting involved from a business perspective and being a part of an ownership group was something that was very natural and an easy transition for me, said Larry Fitzgerald, a former NFL player and likely future pro football hall of famer I think its going to continue to grow. You see so many tennis courts transitioning to pickleball courts. I think it is going to get more popular.

The popularity of the sport is already transforming urban planning. Wollman Rink in New York Citys Central Park has partnered with CityPickle to bring 14 courts to the park, while real estate developments are now incorporating courts to lure buyers. 

I want to be able to invest in a team today that is [worth] $50 million or $100 million, that can be worth $500 or $1 billion in five or 10 years, said Marc Lasry, the co-founder of Avenue Capital Group, on Bloomberg Television.

Lasry bought his Pickleball franchise for $100,000 in 2021. Today its $10 million, he said. If you think about whats happening [in sports], its all about the media. More people are watching sports [and] as more people watch sports and there is more streaming, you are going to find that the values of those teams are going to go up.

Both CBS and ESPN agreed to TV deals with the Association of Pickleball Professionals in January. But while its influence is growing, investors are also excited about the potential longevity of the sport at least in terms of how long you can still wield a paddle. 

Pickleball courts are being built across this country, and its 8 to 88, said Gary Vaynerchuk, an entrepreneur and Major League Pickleball team owner. This is not American football. This is not basketball, where at 47 youre tearing knees like I am. This is a sport a lot of people play and participate in.