Schmidt Sciences has announced fellowships totaling up to $12 million in support of efforts to advance research on the potential of AI to benefit humanity.

Fellowships were awarded to five senior and 20 early-career scholars through the AI2050 fellowship program, which asks researchers to imagine the year 2050—a future where AI has been hugely beneficial—and pursue projects that help society realize this vision. Projects include using AI to transform drug discovery in Africa, reducing maternal mortality, creating a global “genome” of human values, unlocking mysteries in particle physics, and completing household chores.

Senior fellow recipients include David Autor, co-director of the Shaping the Future of Work Initiative at MIT, whose research includes how people interact with new AI tools and how AI will shape employment and income in the future; Carla Gomes, director of the Institute for Computational Sustainability at Cornell University, whose research addresses current AI/ML limitations for scientific discovery and decision-making; and Michael Wooldridge, University of Oxford, who explores how large language models can create powerful AI agents to act on our behalf and execute plans.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform our lives for the better, particularly by accelerating scientific progress in profound ways,” said Schmidt Sciences co-founder and AI2050 co-chair Eric Schmidt. “While the benefits of AI can far outweigh the challenges, realizing this potential requires thoughtful action today. We look forward to seeing how the 2024 AI2050 fellows help shape a future where AI serves the greater good.”

For a complete list of AI2050 recipients, see the Schmidt Sciences website.

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