KARL MAASDAM, ’93 2. A FACULTY MEMBER HELPED PIONEER THE TECHNOLOGY THAT UNDERPINS TODAY’S AI. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE wasn’t always so, well, intelligent. First, it had to learn how to learn. Distinguished Professor Emeritus Thomas Dietterich (shown here) is one of the pioneers of machine learning, which makes it possible for AI systems to analyze large datasets, extract insights and then make decisions using that data. The results are as close as the smartphone in your pocket: Machine learning powers apps that can identify birds and plants when you’re out on a hike, as well as the video recommendations Netflix and YouTube offer you. National and international accolades have followed. Dietterich has been recognized with both the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence’s Feigenbaum Prize, awarded to recognize outstanding advances in AI research, and the Award for Research Excellence from the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, the highest honor for a career in the field. Since 1985, only 23 other people have received the Award for Research Excellence.The first, John McCarthy, is known as the father of AI. One of Dietterich’s significant contributions was a novel approach for hierarchical reinforcement learning that breaks down big problems into smaller ones. Because machine learning is a general approach to solving complex problems, the real-world applications of Dietterich’s research have been diverse and wide-reaching. They include drug design, intelligent user interfaces for smart desktops, computer security, management of wildfires and invasive species, and even understanding the distribution and migration of birds. Currently, he’s researching ways to improve AI systems, such as self-driving cars, that make high-risk decisions. “Now that machine learning is having huge impacts across society, it is more important than ever to work on methods for ensuring robustness, safety and effectiveness,” Dietterich said. OREGON STATER PG/ 35
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