Schmidt Futures, the philanthropic initiative of Eric and Wendy Schmidt, has unveiled the second cohort of AI2050 Senior Fellows.
This distinguished group of researchers will lead groundbreaking and interdisciplinary projects in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) aimed at shaping the development of AI for the betterment of society.
Schmidt Futures announced the second cohort of AI2050 Senior Fellows on 17 October.
Among the seven remarkable AI2050 Senior Fellows is Professor Kelly Chibale, the Neville Isdell Chair in African-centric Drug Discovery and Development at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and the visionary founder and director of H3D, UCT’s centre for drug discovery and development.
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Advancing AI for Societal Benefit
The AI2050 program is the manifestation of Eric and Wendy Schmidt’s $125 million commitment over five years to support exceptional individuals dedicated to ensuring AI’s contributions to society. These Senior Fellows will engage with the pivotal question at the heart of the program: “What happened in 2050 when AI turned out to be profoundly beneficial to society?” This second cohort of Senior Fellows joins the community of AI2050 Fellows, which includes the inaugural 2022 cohort consisting of five Senior Fellows and 15 Early-Career Fellows.
The 2023 Senior Fellows are at the forefront of pioneering work that will accelerate progress in AI to address the most complex problems within their respective fields. Their projects encompass a wide spectrum of topics, from revolutionising drug discovery processes in Africa to enhancing the capacity of AI systems to exhibit cooperative and aligned behaviour. These researchers are also pushing the boundaries by developing human-centric robots capable of conducting everyday household tasks.
The cohort’s mission is to discover sustainable AI solutions that transcend traditional boundaries. This includes crafting art installations that engage communities with AI and integrating large language models with symbolic AI to replicate human cognition. Collectively, their efforts emphasise the ongoing work required to ensure that AI becomes a catalyst for positive change.
The AI2050 program has allocated up to $7 million in support of the new Senior Fellows’ research endeavours focused on addressing the Hard Problems in AI in fields such as computer science, chemistry, cognitive science, the arts, and philosophy. Fellows may also become eligible for further support and opportunities as their research evolves.
The Future of Drug Discovery in Africa
Professor Kelly Chibale expressed, “This fellowship will support the H3D Foundation’s mission to unlock sustainable drug discovery in Africa in collaboration with Ersilia Open-Source Initiative (EOSI). The research aims to employ AI in solving the issue of suboptimal efficacy and safety of medications used in African populations. Our approach combines AI with existing modeling tools for human dose prediction in clinical trials and enhances the development of ready-to-use AI models for drug discovery in Africa. The AI2050 Senior Fellowship builds upon recent research published in Nature Communications through a partnership between H3D and EOSI.”
Aiming for Positive Impact
James Manyika, the co-chair of AI2050, emphasised the irreversible integration of AI into our daily lives. He stated, “AI is an integral part of our everyday existence, from recommendation systems on our phones to tools for scientific research. The responsible application of AI can guide the transformative development of this technology, providing benefits to all, gaining public trust, and advancing scientific progress.”
Eric Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Futures and co-chair of AI2050, underscored, “AI is reshaping human knowledge, perception, identity, and reality. The responsible application of AI can steer the trajectory of this transformative technology, delivering benefits for everyone, building public trust, and advancing scientific discovery.”
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AI2050 Shaping the Future
Mark Greaves, executive director of AI2050, affirmed the initiative’s commitment to tackling the fundamental question of how humanity can harness the most advantageous aspects of AI while simultaneously mitigating its potential harms and destabilising effects. He extended a warm welcome to the new Senior Fellows, expressing eagerness to witness their global impact.
The 2023 AI2050 Senior Fellows are Anima Anandkumar from California Institute of Technology, Fei-Fei Li from Stanford University, Gillian Hadfield from University of Toronto and Kelly Chibalefrom University of Cape Town. Others include Josh Tenenbaum from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stephanie Dinkins from Stony Brook University and Tobias Rees from Limn.
These Senior Fellows are poised to redefine the future of AI, making it a force for good, innovation, and societal progress.