Q&A: How AI came to model the “messy” human mind
Assistant Professor Benjamin Lindquist studies how engineers deliberately injected randomness into early AI, giving rise to deep-learning models that sometimes hallucinate.
Topic
School of Humanities Arts and Social Sciences
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Building trust in governments through digital platforms
Governments and private companies often work together to provide public services online. A new study asks: How do these partnerships affect people’s trust in government?
MIT Farm is growing
Co-founders Aleks Banaś and Zachary Rapaport see architecture and farming as deeply complementary disciplines. Their nascent club is having a sizeable impact at the Institute.
Economists Robert Hall PhD ’67 and Michael Woodford PhD ’83 share Nobel Prize
The MIT alumni are honored for work that illuminates how government policy can spur growth in response to economic downturns.
Discovering the value of humanistic inquiry
Students in MIT’s Concourse program delve deeply into the human condition, debate challenging questions, and learn to develop judgment about issues that can’t be quantified.
Climate Action Learning Lab bridges research and policy for effective climate solutions
J-PAL North America’s Learning Lab supported a second cohort of U.S. government and nonprofit organizations in building and using rigorous evidence to advance effective decarbonization and adaptation strategies.
The effects of an “algorithmic monoculture” depend on the details
In a study focusing on hiring decisions, MIT researchers found the use of a single algorithm by many firms could benefit job seekers in certain situations.
Who we become when we talk to machines
Professor Sherry Turkle’s new book, “Artificial Intimacy,” offers a withering critique of chatbots and the antisocial dynamics she believes they encourage.
MIT students gain a humanist lens on technical innovation in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The PKG Center for Social Impact expands Code.Tulsa experiential learning program.
MIT named the nation’s top university by U.S. News for 2026-27
The Institute’s undergraduate engineering, computer science, and economics programs are No. 1; its business program is No. 2.
Podcast: SHASS’s special sauce
Established after World War II, the School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences is an integral part of the MIT experience. Three faculty reflect on the school’s ongoing impact.
A new chapter for MIT Reads
A new focus on fiction and memoir aims to help the MIT community celebrate the power of storytelling and strengthen social connection.
Meet the 2026 tenured professors in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Faculty members granted tenure in Comparative Media Studies/Writing, Economics, Political Science, and Theater.
Understanding the world, from the Cold War to the age of AI
For 75 years, the Center for International Studies has brought together social scientists, engineers, and practitioners to understand global change, shape public debate, and address generational challenges.
Measure by measure, studying society accurately
Naoki Egami has become a standout in political methodology, helping refine tools that give scholars durable results.