The university is doubling down on its legacy as a leader in computing and artificial intelligence. (Photo/iStock)
USC’s five decades at the forefront of AI innovation
As the university hosts its first AI Summit today, take a look back at the innovations that established USC as a leader in computing — and look ahead at what’s next.
USC has been shaping the future of computing and artificial intelligence for more than half a century, and with the October announcement of the President’s AI Strategy Committee by Interim President Beong-Soo Kim, the university is doubling down on that legacy.
Since the founding of the USC Information Sciences Institute in 1972 and the Department of Computer Science in 1976 that are housed in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the university has driven breakthroughs such as the establishment of the Domain Name System — which introduced .com, .edu, .gov and .org internet standards — and the invention of DNA computing.
Other accomplishments are focused on advancing the benefits of technology for society. These advancements include the 2016 launch of the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society as one of the pioneering “AI for Good” centers in the United States, the development of socially assistive robots to address the health and well-being of seniors, plus technology that preserves Holocaust survivor testimonies for future generations.
The new President’s AI Strategy Committee will shape how the university applies this technology to its academic mission in an ethical and responsible manner. This week, the university will host its inaugural AI Summit to bring together industry experts with faculty, staff and students to discuss how AI is innovating education.
It’s an approach that combines technical excellence with responsible usage — using AI not just because it’s possible, but because it can address humanity’s most pressing challenges. Here are some examples that showcase the breadth of USC’s AI work, from the classroom to the clinic to the cutting edge of machine learning research.
Computing at USC
USC’s biggest wins in computing and AI
From quantum to robotics to machine learning, seven breakthroughs that established USC on the actual frontiers of computing.
USC dives into AI research, education with new Center for Generative AI and Society
Amid the buzz about generative AI tools like ChatGPT, USC forms research center with $10 million in seed money and influential experts from the fields of computer science, film, media, education and more.
USC launches $12 million Institute on Ethics & Trust in Computing
The institute, supported by funds from the Lord Foundation of California, is the next step in the university’s effort to enhance research and education under the Frontiers of Computing “moonshot” initiated by Kim’s predecessor as USC president, Carol Folt.
Tour the home of USC’s cutting-edge AI work
To celebrate the launch of the new USC School of Advanced Computing, we partnered with JayByrd Films to create a drone fly through video of the new school — the first “one take” indoor flight video on the USC campus.
AI and education
AI is changing how students learn — or avoid learning
A USC study reveals most students use tools like ChatGPT to shortcut assignments, unless professors actively guide them toward deeper, more thoughtful usage.
How the U.S. Army uses USC-developed AI for education
With a USC Institute for Creative Technologies tool, soldiers use AI not to write their essays for them, but to show them how to become better writers.
Teaching English in a changing world, TESOL in the age of AI
As AI-powered tools enter the classroom, the role of the TESOL educator is evolving and adapting to new technologies without losing its human core.
AI and health
USC researchers use AI to uncover genetic blueprint of the brain’s largest communication bridge
Using AI, researchers mapped the brain’s largest communication pathway, the corpus callosum, to uncover how genetic factors influence its structure.
Researchers invent new AI tool to automate detection of cancer in blood samples
Innovation detects cancer cells in blood samples (liquid biopsies) in as little as 10 minutes and identifies hard-to-find cells without humans in-the-loop.
New DARPA-funded project aims to unravel the brain’s learning secrets
A USC Viterbi team will lead the study that could inform future diagnoses for neurological disorders and the development of next-generation bio-inspired AI.
Can AI be your therapist? Not quite yet, says new USC study
USC study finds large language models fall short of humans in building therapeutic rapport — a critical factor in mental health care.
Why doctors using ChatGPT are unknowingly violating HIPAA
Clinicians are turning to chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to organize notes, produce medical records or write letters to health insurers. But clinicians deploying this new technology may be violating health privacy laws, according to research from USC Price.
AI and society
USC Marshall business students to deliver AI insights for Thunder, Salesforce executives
AI for Business undergraduate students are developing research findings on the latest AI trends for top executives at Thunder and Salesforce.
Byte by byte: The AI farming expert with one foot in the field and the other in the cloud
Kirk Stueve ’03 is combining his farming roots with his USC Dornsife education to help shape a more sustainable future through smart farming technology.
A real-time look at how AI is reshaping work
USC students and researchers track where AI is having the biggest impact on jobs, salaries and industries.
Can AI think — and should it? What it means to think, from Plato to ChatGPT
Greek philosophers may not have known about 21st-century technology, but their ideas about intellect and thinking can help us understand what’s at stake with AI today.
