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
Before joining MIT in 2025, Assistant Professor Omar Khattab had already created several transformative tools that made their mark on industry.
Awarded jointly by the Bavarian State Government and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, it is the most highly endowed award for technology and engineering in Germany.
“SceneSmith” system uses collaborative AI agents to create realistic 3D environments of places like kitchens, hotels, and living rooms, where robots can simulate everyday chores.
Researchers developed an auditing technique to test generative AI models for malicious capabilities, without prompting them for illegal outputs.
A new system, known as Murakkab, optimizes the design and deployment of multistep workflows that power AI applications.