MIT Schwarzman College of Computing

"How do we make sure that a machine does what we want, and only what we want?" In the new course 6.C40/24.C40 (Ethics of Computing), co-taught by MIT EECS and MIT philosophy professors, students wrestle with this question and explore the moral dilemmas of the digital age. Developed through the Common Ground for Computing Education, an initiative of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, the course bridges philosophy and AI, with each instructor bringing their discipline's lens for examining the broader implications of today's ethical issues. https://lnkd.in/eFmY_5fm

In the seven months since Kaiming He joined the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing as the Douglas Ross (1954) Career Development Professor of Software Technology in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, He says he is experiencing something that in his opinion is “very rare in human scientific history” — a lowering of the walls that expands across different scientific disciplines. “There is no way I could ever understand high-energy physics, chemistry, or the frontier of biology research, but now we are seeing something that can help us to break these walls,” He says, “and that is the creation of a common language that has been found in AI.” https://lnkd.in/dMeDqmhu

MIT senior Audrey Lorvo, a computer science, economics, and data science major (Course 6-14), is researching AI safety, which seeks to ensure increasingly intelligent AI models are reliable and can benefit humanity. “We need to both ensure humans reap AI’s benefits and that we don’t lose control of the technology,” she says. An MIT Schwarzman College of Computing Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) scholar, Lorvo looks closely at how AI might automate AI research and development processes and practices. A member of the Big Data research group, she’s investigating the social and economic implications associated with AI’s potential to accelerate research on itself and how to effectively communicate these ideas and potential impacts to general audiences including legislators, strategic advisors, and others. https://lnkd.in/dvejvTt4

Bringing together industry leaders and MIT’s brightest minds, the MIT Generative AI Impact Consortium (MGAIC) strives to harness AI’s transformative potential for societal benefit, addressing challenges before they unintentionally shape the future. The consortium’s six founding members - Analog Devices, The Coca-Cola Co., OpenAI, Tata Group, SK Telecom, and TWG Global - will work hand-in-hand with MIT researchers to accelerate breakthroughs and address industry-shaping problems. A presidential initiative led by the MIT’s Office of Innovation and Strategy and administered by the Schwarzman College of Computing, MGAIC will actively engage faculty in several different ways, including through an open call for proposals, as well as engage the community through student activities, workshops and an annual event, and provide open-source solutions to the world. https://bit.ly/MIT-MGAIC

In the latest episode of MIT's Curiosity Unbounded podcast, President Sally Kornbluth talks with computer scientist Stefanie Mueller, an associate professor with a joint appointment in MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering departments, about the future of customizable 3D printing, what it could mean to manufacturing and sustainability, and how to make it accessible to everyone. Listen to the episode at https://lnkd.in/eFJnExWc.

Manish Raghavan, the Drew Houston Career Development Professor who is a shared faculty member between the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, as well as a principal investigator at the MIT Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS), is working to mitigate associated risks with algorithms and AI, while also seeking opportunities to apply the technologies to help with preexisting social concerns. “I ultimately want my research to push towards better solutions to long-standing societal problems,” says Raghavan. https://lnkd.in/gc_dE2xx

Algorithms and AI for a better world LIDS PI Manish Raghavan wants computational techniques to help solve societal problems. Amid the benefits that algorithmic decision-making and artificial intelligence offer — including revolutionizing speed, efficiency, and predictive ability in a vast range of fields — Raghavan is working to mitigate associated risks, while also seeking opportunities to apply the technologies to help with preexisting social concerns. “I ultimately want my research to push towards better solutions to long-standing societal problems,” says Raghavan, the Drew Houston Career Development Professor who is a shared faculty member between the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing in MIT EECS. Read a profile at MIT News: https://bit.ly/3E2SukH 

Inspired by the cognitive science of how we communicate, researchers from the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have developed an AI system that can produce human-like vocal imitations with no training, and without ever having "heard" a human vocal impression before. https://lnkd.in/ea3E4U8G

Jessika Trancik, a professor in the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), started the course IDS.521/IDS.065 (MIT Energy Systems for Climate Change Mitigation) to help fill a gap in knowledge about the ways technologies evolve and scale over time. The course equips students with the skills they need to evaluate the various energy decarbonization pathways available to the world. https://lnkd.in/e-Xz3dnh

For the third year, the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC), in collaboration with the MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, invites MIT students to envision the future of computing. We want to hear what you think the future holds. Up to $32K in prizes will be awarded. Prize details and how to apply: https://lnkd.in/ewnK3y67