Ali Farhadi, a former staff member, researcher and entrepreneur at a renowned institute, returns to spearhead AI research and engineering at the nonprofit.
Apple’s head of machine learning, Ali Farhadi, is leaving his job to join the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, an AI research organization founded by Microsoft’s co-founders.
Farhadi, one of the most influential figures in machine learning technology, took over as CEO of the Allen Institute on July 31, leading the company’s research and engineering efforts as generative AI continues to take the tech world by storm. will be in the lead.
This isn’t Farhadi’s first gig at the institute better known as AI2. He has worked in the organization since joining Computer Vision in 2015 to launch his team. During his time at AI2, Farhadi co-founded a deep learning startup called Xnor.ai, which was acquired by Apple in 2020.
“In the face of unprecedented changes in the development and use of AI, I can’t think of a better time to return to AI2 as CEO,” said Paul G. Allen, Graduate School of Computer Science and Engineering. Farhadi, who is also a professor, said: at the University of Washington.
“Today, more than ever, the world needs truly open and transparent AI research based on science and a place where data, algorithms and models are open and available to everyone. I believe that a radical approach is essential to building the next generation of AI.”
Farhadi was named one of the top five AI entrepreneurs in the world by Forbes magazine. His research has been recognized globally with several Best Paper Awards at CVPR, NeruIPS, AAAI, NSF Career Award, and Sloan Fellowship.
Dr. Peter Lee, a member of AI2’s board of directors, said Mr. Farhadi is a “truly rare leader” with his versatility as an entrepreneur and researcher.
“Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the transformative power of AI through his unique ability to translate deep scientific research into product solutions.”
Founded in 2014 by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, AI2 is a non-profit research organization with a mission to “serve humanity through high-impact AI research and engineering.”
The institute last month raised $30 million in funding for AI-based innovation startups emerging from its incubator program. The fund is backed by notable investors including Madrona, Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and Evergreen Gavekal Ventures.
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