Max Kleiman-Weiner

Max Kleiman-Weiner is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington and Principal Investigator of the Computational Minds and Machines lab. His work focuses on developing computational models of human social cognition to build more human-like AI, emphasizing social learning, cooperation, and moral reasoning. He holds a PhD in Computational Cognitive Science from MIT (2016), and prior to his faculty position, he was a 2018 HDSI Postdoctoral Fellow. He has been recognized with prestigious fellowships including the Hertz Foundation, NSF, Marshall Scholarship, and Fulbright Fellowship. His research integrates probabilistic modeling, deep learning, and game theory, tested through multi-player behavioral experiments. He co-founded AI companies Common Sense Machines and Diffeo.

Education: PhD in Computational Cognitive Science (MIT, 2016), MSc in Statistics (University of Oxford, Marshall Scholar), BA from Stanford University. His research explores how humans infer others' mental states, collaborate effectively, and form moral values, with applications to AI alignment and ethical machine behavior. Key contributions include models of social learning via program induction, multi-agent game theory, and computational frameworks for moral judgment. He advises students through UW CSE and Foster School PhD programs, actively recruiting researchers interested in social AI.

Scientific achievements include over 30 peer-reviewed publications spanning cognitive science, AI, neuroscience, and policy. His work on 'Downloading Culture.zip' (2020) proposes novel methods for machines to learn socially through program induction. He has collaborated with institutions like Harvard’s Data Science Initiative and the Max Planck Institute. Current projects include improving human-AI coordination in collaborative tasks and formalizing moral reasoning in computational systems.