The future of our society is interwoven with the future of data-driven thinking—most prominently, artificial intelligence is set to reshape every aspect of our lives.
Research in this area studies the interface between AI-driven systems and human actors, exploring both the impact of data-driven decision-making on human behavior and experience, and how AI technologies can be used to improve access to opportunities. This research combines a variety of areas including AI, machine learning, economics, social psychology, and law.
Our research activities are complemented with initiatives aimed at educating students and practitioners on frontier AI technologies and their social, ethical and economic impact on society. Our goal is to produce leaders in the field across industry, government and academia. Faculty working in this area contribute to the influential policy work spearheaded by the Schwarzman College of Computing through its AI Policy Forum, which seeks to translate frontier AI principles into policy practice.
Latest news in AI and society
In a study focusing on hiring decisions, MIT researchers found the use of a single algorithm by many firms could benefit job seekers in certain situations.
The Institute’s undergraduate engineering, computer science, and economics programs are No. 1; its business program is No. 2.
In “Hack Yourself”, students apply computer science strategies to personal growth goals.
A new method for surgically removing training examples from a model reveals that as datasets grow, the link between what a model learns and what it produces dissolves.
Before joining MIT in 2025, Assistant Professor Omar Khattab had already created several transformative tools that made their mark on industry.