Call for proposals: Impact papers on generative AI
Dear colleagues,
Given the rapid evolution and mounting societal impact of generative AI, we believe that MIT has an opportunity to promote the technology's responsible and publicly beneficial uses, inform the public conversation, and foster wise, farsighted policy. As articulated at this spring’s inauguration, we must help society “come to grips with the tectonic forces of artificial intelligence, containing its risks and harnessing its power for good.”
With the goal of marshaling MIT’s expertise in this arena to inform public discourse and the development and application of generative AI, we are pleased to announce a call for proposals: We seek to fund the work of individual PIs or groups of faculty to develop impact papers that articulate effective roadmaps, policy recommendations, and calls for action across the broad domain of generative AI. Our goal will be to disseminate these papers widely to industry leaders, other academic institutions, policymakers, and the public.
- We welcome submissions from all MIT faculty and PIs, and we especially encourage multidisciplinary teams.
- Proposals may bear on core generative AI methods and applications or the potential impact of generative AI on nearly any aspect of our society, including education, scientific discovery, the arts, business, and government.
- Brief abstracts (maximum length of one page) summarizing the proposal are due August 15. The authors of selected abstracts will receive funding to prepare 10-page impact papers that will be due by November 15 (see further details below)..
Sincerely,
Sally Kornbluth
President
Cynthia Barnhart
Provost
Call for impact papers: Generative AI
Submission Process
Please submit a one-page abstract outlining your idea for a 10-page impact paper and a brief budget request and rationale (between $50,000 and $100,000) to genaiimpact@mit.edu.
Timeline
- August 15: Abstracts due for review by a committee of faculty from all five schools and the college
- September 1: Abstracts selected and funding decisions conveyed
- November 15: Final papers due
Topics
Topics of interest include uses of generative AI in education, scientific discovery, the arts, business, and government, as well as the broader implications for society and policy. Illustrative topics include generative AI and:
- Materials synthesis for climate and sustainability
- Human health, medicine, and the life sciences
- The workforce
- Cybersecurity and privacy
- K–12 and higher education
- The ethical deployment of products
- The impact on the global economy
- The impact on specific job sectors (e.g., software development, customer care, manufacturing)
Funding and Publication
The projects selected to move forward will each receive funding of between $50,000 and $100,000, and the final papers will be disseminated widely via a publication venue managed and hosted by the MIT Press and the MIT Libraries.
Questions?
If you have questions or require more information, please contact infogenaiimpact@mit.edu.