Q&A: What is agentic AI today, and what do we want it to be?
Computer scientist Phillip Isola cuts through the hype to explain how AI agents work and what the future might hold for this rapidly advancing technology.
Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)
LLMs help robots understand vague instructions and focus on key details
To help robots do chores in places like homes and factories, a new approach from MIT uses one language model to clarify users’ instructions, then another to ignore irrelevant info.
MIT in the media: Exploring how curiosity-driven science is an essential ingredient in America’s success
“Scientific American” showcases the history and future of America’s scientific engine, highlighting promising young scientists and icons at MIT and beyond.
Improving the speed and energy-efficiency of AI agents
A new system, known as Murakkab, optimizes the design and deployment of multistep workflows that power AI applications.
Exploring the societal impacts of AI
During the AI and Society Forum, leading MIT researchers examined critical questions about AI’s influence on employment and democracy.
The tenured engineers of 2026
Ten faculty members have been granted tenure in five units across MIT’s School of Engineering.
When it comes to predicting people’s preferences, it pays to consider “the power of three”
MIT researchers provide a major upgrade to the nearly century-old idea of random utility models.
MIT affiliates win 2026 Hertz Foundation Fellowships
The fellowships in applied sciences, engineering, and mathematics recognize doctoral students who are pursuing solutions to the most pressing challenges in science and technology.
To study how chips really work, MIT researchers built their own operating system
A new kernel called Fractal gives researchers a cleaner view of what’s happening inside a processor, and has already surfaced previously unknown behavior in Apple’s M1.
Teaching AI agents to ask better questions by playing “Battleship”
MIT researchers use the classic game as a test bed for AI agents, finding a small AI model can outperform the biggest ones at 1 percent of the cost.
MIT researchers teach AI models to interpret charts
The new ChartNet training dataset could improve the accuracy of vision-language models that help analyze business trends or interpret scientific figures.
Justin Solomon appointed associate dean of engineering education
MIT faculty member in electrical engineering and computer science to focus on innovation in engineering education and new pedagogical approaches.
MIT student Jack Carson named 2026 Udall Scholar
The Udall Foundation identifies and rewards future leaders in tribal public policy, Indigenous health policy, and the environment.
Method for stress-testing cloud computing algorithms helps avoid network failures
The “MetaEase” technique provides a heads-up to potential scenarios that could cause long wait-times or outages.
It took 40 years for technology to catch up to this zipper design
An old patent from MIT Professor Bill Freeman inspired the new “Y-zipper,” a three-sided fastener that snaps gear, robots, and art into shape at the push of a button.