The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and Mohammed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) recently celebrated the launch of the MIT-MBZUAI Collaborative Research Program, a new effort to strengthen the building blocks of artificial intelligence and accelerate its use in scientific and societal challenges.
Under the five-year agreement, faculty, students and research staff from both institutions will collaborate on fundamental research projects to advance the technical foundations of AI and its applications in three main areas: scientific discovery, human prosperity and the health of the planet.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every aspect of human endeavor. MIT’s leadership in AI has been greatly enriched through collaboration with leading academic institutions in the US and around the world,” says Dan Huttenlocher, dean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the 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 deliver broader benefits to society.”
“This agreement will unite the efforts of researchers from two world-class institutions to advance leading-edge AI research on scientific discovery, human prosperity, and the health of the planet. By combining MBZUAI’s focus on fundamental models and real-world deployment with MIT’s depth in computing and interdisciplinary innovation, we are building an intercontinental bridge for discovery. Together, we will not only push the boundaries of AI science “But also ensure that these breakthroughs are taken forward responsibly and applied where they matter most – improving human health, enabling intelligent robotics, and driving sustainable AI at scale,” says Eric Xing, president of MBZUAI and university professor.
Each institute has appointed an Academic Director to oversee the program at its campus. At MIT, Philip Isola, Class of 1948 Career Development Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will serve as program head. Le Song, professor of machine learning at MBZUAI, will take on the role.
Supported by MBZUAI – the first university dedicated solely to advancing science through AI, and based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – the collaboration will fund several joint research projects per year. The findings will be published openly, and each project will be led by a principal investigator from MIT and an investigator from MBZUAI, with the project selected by a steering committee composed of representatives from both institutions.
