About

Mission & Vision

Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming the world in which we live today and can arguably chart new courses for humanity’s future. A remarkable surge in hardware capabilities and innovative algorithms have dramatically accelerated the pace of acquiring, transmitting and processing massive amounts of data. Computational advances fuel the AI revolution that is transforming science, industry and our society. We propose a SEAS centric initiative, encompassing the entire Harvard University, to advance computational thinking and AI to understand and address the pressing challenges facing humanity, ranging from climate change and water shortage to social inequality.

We believe that an integrative approach to Computing and AI (CAI) holds tremendous promise in every aspect of scientific discovery, from experimental design, to prediction and foundational understanding. This integrative approach has already enabled engineering breakthroughs, including self driving cars and drone assisted agriculture while providing powerful approaches to medical diagnoses and financial decisions. CAI are making inroads in the fields of law, government and diplomacy while Generative AI is transforming design and the entertainment industry. CAI driven technologies are also empowering researchers to improve the health of people around the globe and the preservation of human rights for both recognized and under-recognized communities. We wish to lead the transformation of Science, Engineering and Society through CAI by harnessing the intellectual capital of Harvard across Areas and Schools.

A SEAS-Centric, SEAS-Wide, and Complex Theme

Mathematical and computational thinking bridge cross all areas in SEAS and success in solving complex problems in our times requires interdisciplinary, community solutions. There is growing expertise in AI across SEAS that is expanding thanks to the Kempner Institute. The goal of this effort is to build an interdisciplinary community in SEAS that will have national and international visibility ICAI can serve as a connecting “glue” for all Harvard Schools facilitating exchanges across disciplinary boundaries. We envision a web of activities in ICAI emanating from SEAS and connecting all Harvard Schools.

How SEAS might leverage any Harvard initiatives, programs, or departments that are adjacent or related to the theme

ICAI is complementary to the Kempner Institute that focuses on the interface of AI and Neuroscience. It shares the mission of Data Science Initiative to ‘illuminate interdisciplinary pathways to solve real problems” and adds to it a new component by integrating computing and AI with domain knowledge across disciplines. We will create strong interfaces with other Centers such as CRCS (Milind Tambe) and have been discussing how CAI can interface efforts at IQSS (with Gary King) and Life Sciences (with Pardis Sabeti) as well as efforts related to HPC and Sustainability in SEAS and FAS Research Computing. We envision complementary efforts with the Climate Initiative as well as other initiatives that may focus on Health, Aging, etc.

The educational opportunities, including in professional education, for the theme

There is an urgent need to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers in computational thinking and AI so that they can effectively tackle global challenges. We also believe that fundamental education in Mathematics, and Natural Sciences will be transformed by AI and we must provide the foundational knowledge in our undergraduate programs with relevant offerings in AM and other areas.
We believe that there is tremendous need for professional education that will translate AI advances to domain specific solutions. We envision professional education programs in AI for Science and Engineering that can be scaled/tailored to AI4X (X: Manufacturing, Medicine etc.) that are coordinated by AM, EE and CS and Statistics. Emphasis will be placed in core fundamentals that can be transferable across disciplines as well as applications. with strong societal relevance (climate, coastal erosion, wildfires, epidemics, etc.). We also find complementarity with the mission of the CSE and Data Science Master’s programs. The former could benefit from active faculty involvement while the latter could benefit from the growth in the CAI components.

Government/foundation funding opportunities for the theme beyond seeking philanthropic funding

DOE, DOD, NSF and DARPA are planning major investments in AI for Science. The Schmid foundation has a program on AI for Science. The Simons Foundation has created the Flatiron Institute. Microsoft has a program on AI for Science. ICAI will establish the community and visibility and necessary to solicit such funding successfully.

Faculty involved in the discussion

(There are several ongoing discussions – this is a partial list)