Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently fueling scientific innovation and discovery. The new Margot and Tom Pritzker Prize for AI in Science Research Excellence, administered by the University of Chicago and Caltech, will celebrate exceptional contributions to artificial intelligence and the natural sciences or engineering. Awardees will exemplify innovation, leadership, and a commitment to advancing knowledge through the intersection of artificial intelligence and scientific inquiry.
“AI has the potential to fundamentally change the nature and pace of scientific discovery, transforming not only data analysis but also hypothesis generation, modeling and simulation, and experimental design,” said Rebecca Willett, Professor of Statistics and Computer Science at the University of Chicago and faculty co-lead. “This generous gift from the Margot and Tom Pritzker Foundation allows us to recognize outstanding contributions to scholarship at the interface of AI and science and engineering.”
The award celebrates groundbreaking science and discovery and is also at the forefront of honoring contributions in this area. "The rapid pace of advancements in basic science, driven by convergent AI research, is truly breathtaking. Long-standing scientific questions are closer to being answered, thanks to modern AI methods, as recently recognized by the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The launch of the Pritzker Prize in AI and Science is timely, serving not only as a recognition of groundbreaking contributions but also as a catalyst for accelerating new discoveries at the intersection of AI and science." said David Uminsky, the Executive Director of the Data Science Institute at the University of Chicago.
The selection committee is composed of notable scientists in AI + Science, including recent Nobel winner John Jumper and Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz. The committee is excited to select up to two winners, each of whom will receive $50,000 and will be awarded at the University of Chicago and Caltech Conference on AI+Science. This conference will bring together leading minds at the intersection of AI + science to share cutting-edge developments and will help foster interdisciplinary collaborations.
“AI+Science has the potential to be an even bigger revolution than the one we are seeing today with language models” said Anima Anandkumar, the Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech and one of the faculty co-leads. Celebrating scientists working in this area will fuel breakthroughs that can benefit science and society.
Further information regarding the prize, including nomination instructions (due December 10, 2024), selection criteria, and eligibility requirements, can be found here.