10 Projects, 10 Solutions: Student Engineers Tackle Everyday Problems
From self-driving skateboards to robot butlers and more, USC Makers Hosted Spring 2026 Showcase turning ideas into reality and celebrating its 10-year anniversary
USC Scientists Built a Tiny System That Thinks Like a Brain and Runs on Thin Air
Inspired by how the brain processes sight and touch simultaneously, a new device born in a Viterbi lab senses, encodes, and learns from the world around it using nothing but the energy that world provides.
USC @ ICRA 2026
USC Engineers to Present 32 Papers in Robotics: From Safer Autonomous Navigation and Dexterous Manipulation to VLMs and AI-Driven Learning for Robots
A Robot Hand That Taught Itself to Play Piano Could Change the Future of Machines
USC researchers built a robotic hand that hears a melody once and plays it back after just two minutes of self-taught practice on a keyboard. They say the implications go far beyond music.
USC Graduates From Amazon, Google and IBM Shared Insights at the Department’s First Alumni Panel
Alumni panel showcased power of USC Viterbi’s Trojan network, helps students navigate software engineering careers
From USC to Big Tech: Apple, Amazon, Nvidia Among Top Employers of USC Engineering Alumni, New Data Shows
Across USC Viterbi and Mark and Mary Stevens School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, alumni point to industry-aligned courses, hands-on learning, powerful Trojan network and reputable faculty lineup as key drivers of career success in a competitive job market
This Algorithmic Framework Is Discovering Novel Chip Designs Never Invented Before
USC researchers invent a chip design method that could accelerate the design of the next generation of wireless devices, from 5G phones to autonomous vehicles, by unlocking designs that traditional chip engineering could never reach.
10 Times Faster, 10 Times Less Energy: Solving AI’s Memory Bottleneck With Algorithms and Coding Theory
USC hosts 20th Viterbi Keynote Lecture featuring Andrew Viterbi and UC San Diego professor Paul Siegel
USC Institute on Ethics and Trust in Computing Launched Inaugural Summit
Researchers and industry leaders across engineering, law, philosophy, business and more gathered to discuss key issues in ethical and trustworthy AI at IETC’s first summit
USC at ICLR 2026
USC researchers set record for oral presentations at ICLR 2026, with key breakthroughs in language model reliability, multimodal reasoning and robotics
When “Probably” Isn’t Enough: USC Researchers Find AI and Humans Speak Different Languages of Uncertainty
A new study from USC Viterbi shows how small differences in words like “likely” can quietly reshape real-world decisions
Study Uses AI to Uncover a Hidden Link Between Legal Troubles and Suicide Risk
A new study led by USC Viterbi professors uses third-party data and a mixture of human and AI-driven analysis to power insights on suicide prevention.
USC Researchers Presented Ways to use AI for Social Good at ShowCAIS 2026
USC Center for AI in Society Celebrated 10th Anniversary and Hosted Annual Symposium Featuring AI Research Across the University
The Fire Forecast: AI Model Accurately Predicts the Spread of Wildfires in Real Time
By combining high-resolution satellite data, terrain data and realistic fire simulations, USC Viterbi researchers have developed a reconstruction and prediction tool for making informed decisions when tackling catastrophic wildfires.
Google Awards $450,000 to ISE Epstein Department researchers
ISE faculty wins five competitive awards for work in AI, transportation, public health, mathematics and education
Multi-fingered Robots Could Transform Shipboard Operations and Autonomous Maintenance
USC Viterbi Researcher Received Office of Naval Research’s Young Investigator Program Award With Upcoming Study on Dexterous Robotics
In the Clinic Room, an AI Steps In to Fill the Gap Between Patients and HPV Vaccines
A new “Chat-HPV” tool built by USC Viterbi professors with help from USC Keck medicinal professionals saves wait time, avoids harm.
USC Scientists Build a Memory Chip That Survives Temperatures Hotter Than Lava
A discovery using graphene has produced a record-breaking high-temperature memory device, with implications for space exploration, deep-earth drilling, and the future of AI hardware.
Professor Yan Liu Receives Two Top Honors – In One Hour
The multitalented USC Viterbi professor was recognized by both the AAAI and IEEE in late November.
The Long Game: Bill Swartout’s 50-Year Journey from Homework Machines to Lasting Conversations
The ICT pioneer who built systems that made Holocaust survivors immortal and brought museum exhibits to life is stepping back—but not stepping away.
Understanding Humans, Changing Lives: 25 Years of USC SAIL Lab
25 years, 1,000+ papers, 20+ Patents and Beyond – Pioneering Human-centered Technologies and Building a Multigenerational Research Family
From Alzheimer’s to PTSD: How a USC Scientist Hopes AI Can Unlock – and One Day Restore – Human Memory
Using AI paired with brain-machine interfaces, Dong Song wants to study how memories form in real life, and eventually help those who have lost the ability to make them.
From Censored Chatbots to Cinematic Visuals: USC Undergraduates Push the Boundaries of AI
The students were recognized for their work across unique computer science studies, but all involving artificial intelligence.
USC Study Finds AI Agents Can Autonomously Coordinate Propaganda Campaigns Without Human Direction
The findings carry stark implications for elections, public health, and anyone who relies on social media for information
The AI That Taught Itself: USC Researchers Show How Artificial Intelligence Can Learn What It Never Knew
A USC Viterbi undergraduate and her professor developed a method that allows AI to fix its own knowledge gaps in real time.
USC Engineers Offer Solutions to Stop Unsafe AI Behaviors
USC Viterbi Researchers Plan to Develop Mathematical Guardrails for AI Safety in Upcoming Study With Philanthropic Funding
From Man’s Best Friend to Astronauts’ Most Reliable Companion
USC Researchers Find New Approach to Exploring Mars with a Robot dog that Learns “New Tricks” to Support NASA’s Future Missions
Cracking the Brain’s Code: Unlocking Neuron Memory to Advance AI
USC researchers discover neurons have memory and use a single neuron’s activity to map entire brain networks, first to achieve this “mission impossible” that opens new possibilities for AI and neuroscience.
AI System Built at USC Helps Investigators Track Down and Convict Sex Traffickers
Mayank Kejriwal’s research on fighting sex trafficking with artificial intelligence has earned a spot in Science, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.
No Brain, No Problem: What Robots Can Learn from Sea Stars
USC Kanso Bioinspired Motion Lab borrows a trick from nature’s toolkit that can be applied to optimize robot locomotion.
A USC Viterbi Professor and A USC Librarian Unite in New Course to Fight Misinformation
“Finding information is no problem. Finding accurate information is a little trickier.”
Finding Home in Oz: USC Student Helps Transform a Classic With AI
“Experience of a lifetime”: Suvaditya Mukherjee helps bring “The Wizard of Oz” to the Las Vegas Sphere using cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
World-First ORAI Program Shows Early Success in First Semester
The graduate program, supported by a $2.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation, is the first of its kind to offer dedicated interdisciplinary training in AI and Operations Research
AI as ‘Green Field’ of Opportunity
Conversation with Richard Ho, OpenAI’s Head of Hardware offers advice to students, and insights on field as part of Ronald and Valerie Sugar Distinguished Speaker Series in Advanced Computing
AI’s Promise and Peril: USC Experts Navigate the Breakneck Pace of Artificial Intelligence
As artificial intelligence advances at breakneck speed, even the scientists building it admit they’re navigating uncharted territory where the line between revolutionary breakthrough and existential risk remains alarmingly unclear.
When Self-Driving Trucks Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
At the USC Center for Autonomy and AI’s fall workshop, participants grappled with a critical question: Can foundation models power the next generation of autonomous systems?
Where Service Meets Storytelling
U.S. veteran David Cobbins, ’13, leads cutting-edge virtual training programs at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies.
AI Is Powering the Search for America’s Critical Minerals
At USC ISI, researchers are using machine learning to unlock data from thousands of maps and build one of the world’s largest knowledge bases of global mineral resources.
Space Robotics at the Edge of the Unknown
The USC Department of Astronautical Engineering (ASTE) is expanding its focus on space robotics, with an emphasis on autonomous systems that can operate in extreme and unmapped environments.
Artificial neurons developed by USC team replicate biological function for improved computer chips
Breakthrough in neuromorphic computing could reduce energy use of chips and advance artificial general intelligence (AGI)
New ECE Faculty Member Received SRC Young Faculty Award
Join Award-Winning Professor Priya Panda’s Intelligent Computing Lab that develops energy-efficient AI
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
USC Secures Hat Trick at Interspeech 2025 with 3 Research Awards
USC SAIL Lab’s Best Paper and Dual Grand Challenge Wins Solidify its Leadership in Speech Communication Science and Technology
Creating A Future of Convenient AI Systems
USC students collaborated with the artificial intelligence startup Aurite to develop solutions for job searching, travel planning, and more.
USC at CORL 2025
From language-driven robot learning to advanced manipulation techniques, USC researchers collaborated across labs and showcased diverse breakthroughs at CORL 2025
Robots, Meet Your New Teacher: Yourselves
A USC Viterbi graduate student team co-developed a new robotic system that adapts and learns every second.
USC Research Harnesses AI to Predict and Understand Complex Fluid Mixing
Research from the Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science has unraveled the mystery of viscous fingering, in work that could be critical to groundwater remediation and oil recovery.
Robotaxis Keep Riders Safe, But What About Their Data?
A collaborative research team with USC ISI expertise finds that existing methods for selecting privacy enhancing technologies are inadequate for real-world robotaxis
USC ISI Ignites Innovation at LA Tech Week 2025
From quantum breakthroughs to AI panels and a rooftop mixer, tech enthusiasts are invited to join free events in the heart of Silicon Beach during LA Tech Week, October 13-19, 2025
How AI Got A New And Improved Personality
Ph.D. student Bin Han led the development of a special AI project with potential applications in healthcare, business and more.
Uncovering a German Toxic Language Bias in Google’s AI Tool
Study finds Perspective API rates German text as more toxic than other languages, which could result in German-language users being censored four times more often than English-language users
USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the USC School of Advanced Computing Launch an Undergraduate Degree in Artificial Intelligence
First cohort to start on campus in Fall 2026
Universities Unite to Advance AI-Driven Workflow Management on Modern Cyberinfrastructure
New $5M NSF Award Will Power PegasusAI, an AI-Driven Workflow System to Accelerate Science from the Edge to the Cloud and High-Performance Computing
USC ISI and Stanford HAI Host 2025 AI Index Panel
From foundation models to global AI regulation, the expert panel examined the trends, challenges, and opportunities highlighted in this year’s AI Index report
USC Team Develops New Sensory Robot Hand Advancements
Professor Daniel Seita collaborated with a student team in developing the MOTIF Hand, a tool advancing the capabilities of previous robot hand technology.
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.
Why Your Friends May Be More Susceptible to Influence Than You Are
USC/ISI researchers examine who gets influenced online and why, in award-winning research recognized at ICWSM 2025.
ISI at ACL 2025
Papers explore the struggles of AI teaching, authorship, AI safety, and the limits of language models in interviews and mime.
Discovering New Materials: AI Can Simulate Billions of Atoms Simultaneously
Allegro-FM achieves breakthrough scalability for materials research, enabling simulations 1,000 times larger than previous models.
“You can get lucky in research, but you can’t get lucky if you are not prepared”
EP. 17 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Steve Crago
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.
RSS 2025 Marks Largest in History as Conference Returns to USC
USC faculty and students hosted the 21st Robotics: Science and System Conference, featuring world-class robotics labs, demos, workshops, and paper presentations.
“Genuine curiosity pays off in a deeply technical environment”
EP. 16 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Terry Benzel
ISI at ICWSM 2025
Eleven papers explore labor inequality, language bias, political division, and TikTok’s role in crisis communication.
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.
“Having an AI strategy is becoming more complex because it’s unpredictable”
EP. 15 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Craig Knoblock
Researchers Uncover Hidden Airport Hotspots in Global Wildlife Trafficking Using AI
New Nature study highlights predictive power of AI in identifying airports used as key nodes in illegal wildlife trade networks
Bringing Digital Light to Live-Action Filmmaking
Prof. Andrew Gordon and Ph.D. candidate Natali Chavez from the USC Institute for Creative Technologies explore new AI-assisted workflows for low-cost virtual production.
Smart Enough to Know Better? How AI Handles Legal Questions
ISI researchers tested large language models on sensitive legal scenarios and found surprising vulnerabilities.
USC at ICRA 2025
USC School of Advanced Computing and USC Viterbi researchers showcase breakthroughs in generative modeling, safety in imitation learning, human-aware planning and more at ICRA 2025, one of the most prestigious gatherings in robotics.
Excellence, Curiosity, Character: The Graduates of the USC Viterbi Class of 2025
At the USC Viterbi undergraduate commencement ceremony, the next generation of engineers are encouraged to advance technology that solves the world’s grand challenges.
Celebrating the ISI Class of 2025
From first projects to final defenses, ISI grads look back on a transformative journey.
New Study Shows AI Can Predict Child Malnutrition, Support Prevention Efforts
AI-driven tool developed for Kenya offers governments and decision-makers critical lead time to save lives by forecasting malnutrition up to six months in advance with up to 89% accuracy
Graduate Matthew Fontaine Honored With 2025 USC Ph.D. Achievement Award
Fontaine hopes that his work in algorithmic scenario generation will make robotics and AI systems safer before they are deployed.
Imagining the Future of Deep Space Habitats
PhD student Ulubilge Ulusoy researches optimal collaboration between humans and AI during maintenance operations in deep space habitats.
ISI at the NAACL ’25 Conference
From planning creatively to aligning AI with human values, USC ISI researchers push the boundaries of natural language processing.
How Can Computing for AI and Other Demands Be More Energy Efficient?
A look at different approaches by USC Viterbi and School of Advanced Computing faculty
ISI @ the 2025 ACM Web Conference
USC ISI showcases new research to safeguard online discourse, mitigate polarization, evaluate LLMs, and more
“You have to make your security useful for people without it being a burden”
EP. 11 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Erik Kline
Investigating State-Backed Information Operations
USC ISI researchers assess a previous claim that countries collaborate on efforts to manipulate public opinion across social media
Nurture More Important than Nature for Robotic Hands
New paper from the ValeroLab shows that tactile sensors are less important than the order of learning experiences for embodied artificial intelligence.
USC Undergrad Tackles Political Polarization at SXSW EDU 25
Isabel Epistelomogi, a computer science and business administration major, is making waves with her research exploring how political polarization plays out in real life.
Workshop Gathers Experts at Crossroads of Space, Cybersecurity and AI
A two-day event brought together researchers, defense officials, investors and technologists to confront an urgent question: how do we secure the final frontier in the age of AI?
Detecting wildfires with AI
USC ISI researchers are developing a novel wildfire surveillance method using computer vision algorithms
Four USC Students Receive CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Awards
Students pioneer advancements in building fair and reliable AI systems, training robots for complex tasks, and safeguarding data creators’ privacy
“We over rely on technology but lack the resilience we need to depend on it”
EP. 8 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: David Balenson
ISI @ AAAI-25
ISI researchers push AI forward in detection of online influence campaigns, risk assessment, and public service.
“My career goal is to make difficult technology more usable”
EP. 7 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Wes Hardaker
Building Virtual Worlds with “Digital Twins”
Computer science doctoral student Jiawei Yang received an NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship for his research in 3D scene reconstruction and generative AI to enable safer robotics and autonomous driving
Spot the Difference: Safeguarding Cybersecurity with Graph Anomaly Detection
Yue Zhao receives an Amazon Research Award for his work detecting and explaining suspicious behavior in information security systems
Mapping Diet Decisions: How Environment Impacts Food Choices in America
Research project “Smart and Connected Communities Food Environment Dynamics,” led by Abigail Horn, uses AI and mobility data to improve the American diet
Senior Design Projects Tackle Today’s Top Engineering Problems
Students in the USC Department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering apply their learning to address some of the most pressing technological challenges facing industry today.
“People need to understand there are different layers to the Internet”
EP. 3 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: John Heidemann
USC Researcher Explores Human-AI Collaboration for Future Space Missions
Ulubilge Ulusoy, a PhD candidate in the USC Department of Astronautical Engineering (ASTE), researches how astronauts and AI can learn to collaborate more effectively for deep space missions.
Uncovering Cancer’s Clues
USC Computer Science Professor Yan Liu develops AI model to predict treatment outcomes and identify resistance in ovarian cancer.
USC+Amazon Center Announces 2024-2025 Projects and Fellows
The USC + Amazon Center on Secure and Trusted Machine Learning reaffirms its commitment to innovation by funding three new projects and welcoming three fellows for 2024-2025.
USC at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) 2024
USC researchers present their latest research at NeurIPS 2024, one of the world’s top natural language processing and artificial intelligence conferences.
USC Launches First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Artificial Intelligence and Operations Research
The launch of the new ORAI PhD certificate program is supported by a $2.9 million National Research Traineeship (NRT) grant from the National Science Foundation, putting USC at the forefront of AI for decision-making.
“Researchers have to ask themselves how AI can be used for nefarious purposes”
EP. 1 | ISI’s Artificial Intelligence director, anthropologist Adam Russell, gets to know researchers from across the institute. This week: Jacob Lichtefeld
USC at EMNLP 2024
USC researchers present their latest research at EMNLP 2024, one of the world’s top natural language processing and artificial intelligence conferences.
Leveraging Machine Learning to Detect Middle Ear Diseases
Leveraging machine learning and cutting-edge imaging, USC students and otolaryngology professor pioneer new methods for detecting middle ear diseases.
USC ISI at the 2024 EMNLP Conference
Notable research that drives forward AI capabilities in language, ethics, social science and more
$1M Investment and a New Director Fuel AI for Health Innovation at ISI’s AI4Health Center
A $1M investment and a new director will propel ISI’s AI4Health center’s mission to advance AI research to tackle some of the most difficult health challenges of our time.
How Do We Protect Our Future Robot-Driven Systems from Attackers?
A new $2.1 million project supported by the Office of Naval Research will provide invaluable intelligence for the robot systems that will be essential to our future lives.
USC at the Conference of Robot Learning (CoRL) 2024
USC computer science faculty and students present their latest work on the intersection of robotics and machine learning.
Researchers uncover an information operation threatening the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election
A new study from USC ISI’s Election Integrity Initiative finds evidence of a multi-platform network spreading biased political content
Flagged for Being Queer
USC ISI researchers uncover bias in content moderation, specifically, how LLMs misinterpret gender-nonconforming speech.
The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Countering Hate Speech on Reddit
A USC ISI study reveals that counterspeech fails to change user behavior in hate-based subreddits – except when it is hostile
USC ISI Shines at LA Tech Week 2024
From AI Titans to cutting-edge labs, ISI researchers showcased future technology to the LA tech community.
Could Autonomous Vehicles Make Us More Altruistic?
For USC Viterbi researcher Ruolin Li, the design and optimization of autonomous vehicles (AVs) calls for a balance of societal benefits and individual interests.
USC at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
USC researchers present 12 papers at the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), showcasing their cutting-edge research on robotics and sustainable development.
Does ChatGPT Belong in Mensa?
ISI researchers investigate whether advanced AI can solve visual puzzles and perform abstract reasoning.
Ph.D. Candidate Pooria Namyar Among 41 Named MLCommons Rising Stars
AI group chosen for his work developing reliable high-performance machine learning systems.
USC Viterbi To Play Significant Role in New NSF Center Aimed at Insights on Pandemic Pre-emergence
Researchers will provide expertise on AI/machine learning, data analytics, and algorithm design for the new NSF Center for Pandemic Insights.
From Blood Tests to Brain Scans: How AI is Revolutionizing Alzheimer’s Research
How advanced technology offers new hope in the fight against a devastating disease.
AI Solutions for Social Good: Ph.D. Student Enlists LLM Assistants on Project Addressing Homelessness
Jaspreet Ranjit is working on the use of large language models as assistants to domain experts in the nonprofit space.
Innovation and Ice Cream: ISI’s Back-to-School Kickoff
ISI started the school year with an afternoon of cutting-edge research, fun facts, and community building.
Maryam Shanechi Named Blavatnik National Awards Finalist for 2nd Year in a Row
Recognized for having “Pioneered research at the intersection of engineering, AI, and neuroscience to develop advanced neurotechnologies.”
USC ISI Takes Center Stage at LA Tech Week
From AI panels to exclusive lab tours and a rooftop mixer, USC Viterbi’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI) invites tech enthusiasts to join free events in the heart of Silicon Beach during LA Tech Week, October 14-18, 2024.
AI Helps Scientists Predict the Future Climate by Studying the Distant Past
Researchers at USC Viterbi’s Information Sciences Institute are bringing AI to the Earth sciences, starting with paleoclimatology.
‘I Want to Move My Arm’: New AI Can ID Brain Patterns Related to Specific Behavior
A breakthrough for paralyzed patients? New algorithm from Maryam Shanechi’s lab can improve brain-computer interfaces and discover new brain patterns.
The ReWater Center will Revolutionize Resource Resilience
The Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is at the forefront of research for the treatment and reuse of one of our greatest resources: water.
A Healthier Menu
For USC’s Abigail Horn, helping people make healthier choices starts with using AI to evaluate their menus.
Not Feeling It: AI’s Emotional Disconnect
ISI researchers explore the importance of affective alignment in AI.
USC Viterbi AI Startups Thrive
Defying rollercoaster AI investment trends, startups founded by alumni and faculty at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering have consistently seen success in VC funding.