Stuart J. Russell

Stuart J. Russell is a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, holding the Smith-Zadeh Chair in Engineering. He is also a Professor of Cognitive Science, a Professor of Computational Precision Health at UCSF, and an Honorary Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford. His research spans artificial intelligence, machine learning, probabilistic reasoning, robotics, and AI ethics. Russell co-authored the seminal textbook Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach and founded the Center for Human-Compatible AI (CHAI). He has advised international organizations on AI policy and ethics, including roles with the OECD and the Global Partnership on AI.

Educations:

• B.A. (1st class honors) in Physics, University of Oxford (1982)
• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Stanford University (1986)

Research Focus: Russell’s work addresses foundational AI challenges, including safe AI control, long-term societal impacts of AI, and ethical frameworks for autonomous systems. He emphasizes aligning AI with human values and has warned against risks of uncontrolled autonomous weapons.

Labs & Affiliations: He leads the Center for Human-Compatible AI, co-directs the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science, and the Public, and collaborates with BAIR (Berkeley AI Research) and the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. His interdisciplinary work bridges computer science, philosophy, and public policy.