Joshua B Tenenbaum

Joshua B. Tenenbaum is a Professor of Computational Cognitive Science in MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, a Principal Investigator at CSAIL, and Research Thrust Leader at CBMM. His work bridges human cognition and machine intelligence, focusing on perception, learning, and reasoning. He holds a PhD from MIT (1999) and previously taught at Stanford (1999–2002).

His research develops algorithms used globally in science/engineering, emphasizing human-like AI grounded in computational models of mind. Awards include the Troland Research Award (NAS), APA's Early Career Contribution Award, and Society of Experimental Psychologists' Early Investigator Award. He is a Fellow of the Cognitive Science Society and Society of Experimental Psychologists.

Key research interests span intuitive physics, theory of mind, probabilistic models of cognition, and neuro-symbolic AI. His lab explores how humans and machines learn from limited data, reason with abstract concepts, and generalize knowledge.

Publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to intelligence, with recent work on neuro-symbolic systems, embodied reasoning, and ethical AI frameworks. He advises MIT's AI initiatives and collaborates internationally on cognitive science projects.

His lab's work has led to open-source tools like probabilistic programming frameworks and benchmark datasets for evaluating human-like capabilities in machines. Current projects include understanding moral judgment mechanisms and developing physically plausible AI systems.