MIT Schwarzman School of Computing and Mohammed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) recently celebrated the launch of the MIT-MBZUAI Collaborative Research Program, a new initiative to strengthen the building blocks of artificial intelligence and accelerate its application to pressing scientific and societal challenges.
Under the five-year agreement, faculty, students, and research staff from both institutions will collaborate on basic research projects to advance the technological foundations of AI and its applications in three core areas: scientific discovery, human flourishing, and planetary health.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every aspect of human endeavor, and MIT’s leadership in AI is greatly enriched through our collaborations with leading academic institutions in the United States and around the world,” said Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and Henry Ellis Warren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “Our collaboration with MBZUAI reflects our shared commitment to advancing AI in a responsible, inclusive and globally impactful way. Together, we can explore new horizons in AI and bring broad benefits to society.”
“This agreement will combine the efforts of researchers at two world-class institutions to advance frontier AI research across scientific discovery, human flourishing, and the health of our planet. MBZUAI’s focus on foundational models and real-world deployment, and MIT’s By combining the depth of computing and interdisciplinary innovation, we are building transcontinental bridges for discovery. Together, we will not only expand the boundaries of AI science, but also solidify these studies.” “Breakthroughs will be pursued responsibly and applied where it matters most: improving human health, enabling intelligent robotics, and advancing sustainable AI at scale,” said Eric Shin, MBZUAI President and University Professor.
Each institution appoints an academic director who oversees the programs on campus. At MIT, Philip Isola, Class of 1948 Career Development Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will serve as program leader. At MBZUAI, machine learning professor Le Song will take on this role.
With the support of MBZUAI, the first university dedicated to advancing science through AI and based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the partnership will fund a number of joint research projects annually. The findings will be made public, and each project will be led by an MIT principal investigator and one MBZUAI researcher, with project selection made by a steering committee made up of representatives from both institutions.
