The Knight Foundation, an organization that “invests in projects that spark growth in communities and encourage sustainable long-term development,” has provided $2 million to the USC Marshall School of Business for a five-year research project focused on purpose-driven artificial intelligence (AI). Marshall has announced that it will match the funding, totaling $4 million for the fund.
The initiative, which was announced last Monday, will be housed at the university’s Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making as researchers attempt to balance emerging AI technologies with human-centered values.
“We need innovation, but we also need to find ways to ensure that innovation is aligned with human well-being and meaningful societal impact,” Nathanael Fast, director of the Neely Center, said in a press release.
According to the press release, the research will center around four main areas: social media, design codes, a youth panel and developing leadership fellows. The end goal of this work is to apply the findings to real-world discussions about AI’s place in the professional field.
With the funding, the initiative plans to share evidence-based policy recommendations to lawmakers in the United States and abroad, as well as provide guidelines to both companies and governments to ensure ethical responsibility.
A.J. D’Amico, the director of information and society at the Knight Foundation, called the proposed research “field-leading” in USC Marshall’s announcement and touched on the importance of transparency in all stages of AI development.
“Our faculty and students are committed to shaping AI that aligns with human values,” said Geoffrey Garrett, dean of the Marshall School, in a press release. “This support will help us lead in setting the standards for purpose-driven, ethical innovation.”
This recent investment is just the latest chapter in Marshall’s endeavors into the world of AI. The school collaborated with Thunder and Salesforce to launch the USC Agentic AI Research Lab in October.
In August 2023, 48 students became the first cohort of a new undergraduate major, AI for Business. The major, which is a joint degree between Marshall and USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, aims to equip students with the ability to use artificial intelligence for business applications.
Bella Yadegar, a junior studying AI for Business, was a part of the first cohort at USC. Although Yadegar and her classmates were not notified about the new initiative or how it might impact their major, she believes the initiative is significant.
“I think it’s incredibly important to be introducing initiatives regarding AI and getting ahead of the AI boom as a university,” Yadegar said. “It’s important for us to think about the policies and procedures for teaching AI and using it within the classroom, specifically in setting ethical procedures for [AI] use.”
According to Yadegar, the curriculum for the AI for Business major has changed every semester as courses are added and content is changed.
“Being adaptable is important for teaching AI because it changes so quickly, and I think Marshall does a really good job at teaching students how to create that adaptable mindset,” said Yadegaer.