Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Seed Grants

Overview

(Note: The application deadline has been extended to December 15, 2018.)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to impact human lives and organizations at all scales, from the needs of individuals to the economic transformation of nations to the philosophical basis of being human. AI has the potential to change how humans live, work, and communicate; transform the way organizations make products and conduct business; modify our homes, cities, and environment; and challenge today’s social, legal and policy norms. Designing, studying, and making use of this technology from a human-centered, global point of view will significantly enhance AI’s potential for positive impact.

This call for proposals aims to support innovative and interdisciplinary seed research in Human-centered Artificial Intelligence. Proposals should be for support of new, ambitious, and speculative ideas with the objective of getting initial results and should be distinct from existing sponsored research. We encourage proposals that involve collaborations of faculty and students across different fields, with a preference for supporting AI-related research bridging two or more Departments and/or Schools and for the advancement of a human-centered focus.

Priority Areas:

Preference will be given to high-impact projects that:

1. Investigate cutting edge AI solutions to support or advance humanity, addressing problems where the development and/or implementation of AI would have a positive benefit on society in the following areas:

   1. Next generation AI technology inspired by neuroscience, cognitive science and behavioral science;

   2. Research on impact of AI and automation in economics, society, law, ethics, philosophy, education, healthcare, and other related areas of social sciences and humanities;

   3. Human-centered AI technology that better augments, communicates, collaborates and interacts with people;

2. Foster interdepartmental and interschool collaborations involving disciplines outside traditional computational fields such as but not limited to economics, law, education, business, public policy, sociology, philosophy, biology and medicine;

3. Make a persuasive case that results will catalyze further support from internal and external stakeholders.

Deliverables

Awardees must be willing to attend and present the results of their work at future HAI events or seminars.  Appropriate projects may also be requested to present at other venues, such as SAIL Faculty Lunches, GSB seminars, etc.

Award Guidelines and Selection Criteria

HAI will review proposals based on:

• Scientific merit of the proposal, with quality, innovation and creativity balanced by the project's likelihood of success.

• Alignment with the Priority Areas listed above.

Award recipients will be notified by March and funding will be available starting Spring Quarter but may be delayed to coincide with the 2019-2020 Academic Calendar if the recipients prefer.

Seed Grant Proposal Submission Guidelines

The proposal should follow the guidelines below. Proposals are due on December 15, 2018 at 11:59pm PST. Those selected by a team of reviewers and ad hoc experts will be informed by mid-February.

**By December 15, please submit the following using the Apply button on this webpage:

1.     Proposal: (no longer than 2 pages! PDF, single-spaced, 11 point, 1 inch margins)

• Problem statement
• Core research idea
• Technical approach
• Team involved (faculty, postdocs, staff, and/or students, as appropriate)
• Informal sketch budget (e.g., “25% RA 2qtrs, $18K; fieldwork travel, $3K, accom $4K”)

2.     References (no max or min limits, at the end of the same PDF file)