MIT Quest for Intelligence

MIT Quest for Intelligence
Name	MIT Quest for Intelligence
Formation	2018
Type	Interdisciplinary research initiative
Headquarters	MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Key people	Antonio Torralba, Joshua Tenenbaum, Daniela Rus
Website	https://quest.mit.edu/

MIT Quest for Intelligence. The MIT Quest for Intelligence is a campus-wide initiative launched in 2018 to advance the science and engineering of both human and machine intelligence. It aims to discover the foundations of intelligence and develop powerful new tools to benefit society, leveraging the deep, interdisciplinary expertise across the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The initiative serves as a central hub, connecting fundamental research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science with applications across diverse fields.

Overview

The initiative was formally launched with foundational support from Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group, whose gift helped catalyze its creation. Its mission is rooted in a holistic approach, seeking to understand intelligence in its broadest sense by fostering collaboration between researchers studying natural intelligence and those engineering its artificial counterparts. This work is primarily housed within the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, which serves as its institutional home, ensuring tight integration with MIT's core computing and AI curricula. The MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, a major partnership with IBM Research, also operates as a key component, focusing on the fundamental algorithms and hardware for next-generation AI.

Research Initiatives

Core research is organized into two complementary pillars: The Core, which focuses on the science of intelligence, and The Bridge, which translates discoveries into real-world applications. The Core initiative involves faculty from the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, working on problems like machine learning theory, computational neuroscience, and cognitive modeling. The Bridge initiative connects these insights to pressing global challenges, supporting projects in areas like climate change modeling, healthcare diagnostics, and education technology. Specific programs, such as the MIT Quest for Intelligence Common Model, aim to develop unified frameworks for understanding intelligence.

Organizational Structure

The initiative is led by faculty from across MIT's schools and departments, with leadership roles held by prominent figures in AI and cognitive science. It operates under the auspices of the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, with close ties to the MIT School of Engineering and the MIT School of Science. Day-to-day research is conducted within existing labs and centers, including CSAIL, the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). This decentralized structure is designed to integrate seamlessly with MIT's traditional departmental organization while providing centralized funding and strategic direction for intelligence-related research.

Key People

The initiative's leadership includes Antonio Torralba, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, who serves as its faculty director. Joshua Tenenbaum, a professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a member of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, is a leading figure in its scientific research on computational cognitive science. Daniela Rus, the director of CSAIL and the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is a key contributor, especially in robotics and AI systems. Other notable faculty involved include Nancy Kanwisher from the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Leslie Kaelbling from the MIT Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems.

Collaborations and Partnerships

A cornerstone of its model is deep collaboration with industry and other institutions. The flagship partnership is the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, a joint research endeavor with IBM that explores AI hardware, algorithmic fairness, and natural language processing. The initiative also works closely with other corporate members of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program and has engaged in projects with organizations like the World Economic Forum and the American Heart Association. It fosters academic partnerships with other leading universities and research institutes globally to advance the shared science of intelligence, extending its network beyond the Kendall Square innovation ecosystem.

Impact and Outcomes

The initiative has accelerated research output, leading to significant publications in venues like NeurIPS, ICML, and *Science*. It has spurred the development of novel AI tools for applications in biomedical research, materials science, and urban planning. Educational impacts include new courses and curricula within the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing and support for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. Its work on ethical AI and the societal implications of intelligent systems has influenced policy discussions at organizations like the United Nations and the OECD, contributing to the global governance of emerging technology.

Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology Category:Artificial intelligence organizations Category:Research institutes in Massachusetts Category:Organizations established in 2018