Stanford Launches Center to Study AI Foundation Models
Stanford HAI introduces the Center for Research on Foundation Models to unite over 175 researchers in studying the technology and societal impact of systems like GPT-3. The initiative focuses on democratizing access to these powerful AI models.
Stanford University introduces the Center for Research on Foundation Models (CRFM), a new interdisciplinary initiative that brings together over 175 researchers from more than 10 departments. Born out of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), this center aims to advance the study, development, and deployment of foundation models like BERT, GPT-3, and Codex.
These massive models train on broad data at scale to adapt to a wide range of downstream tasks, fundamentally transforming how AI systems are built. The CRFM investigates the underlying technology, explores high-impact applications in fields like healthcare and education, and addresses significant societal implications such as environmental effects, ethical considerations, and privacy risks.
Because the immense resources required to build foundation models remain highly concentrated in industry, the CRFM focuses heavily on democratizing this technology. The center develops open, easy-to-use tools and rigorous principles for training and evaluating models, ensuring a more diverse group of participants can meaningfully critique and improve these powerful AI systems.