The USC-Capital One Center for Responsible AI and Decision-Making in Finance (CREDIF) is the first center launched under the auspices of the USC School of Advanced Computing (SAC), a unit of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
USC and Capital One today announced the USC-Capital One Center for Responsible AI and Decision-Making in Finance (CREDIF)Supported by a $3 million gift from Capital One, the joint research center will focus on advancing the foundations of algorithmic, data and software innovations for artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications to finance.
Combining USC’s world-class research with Capital One’s domain expertise, this is the first center launched under the auspices of the USC School of Advanced Computing (SAC)a unit of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
A Cornerstone of USC Presidency, Carol Folt The Frontiers of Computing “Moonshot,” the SAC serves as a nexus for advanced computing research and education across the university. The center will be its first flagship, said Gaurav SukhatmeSAC Director and Executive Vice Dean of the School of Engineering at USC Viterbi.
Professor Petros Ioannou will head the new centre.
“This new center is emblematic of the rapid and far-reaching impact of computing today,” said Sukhatme, professor of computer science and of electrical and computer engineering. “Responsible, human-centered decision-making, a cornerstone of the USC School of Advanced Computing, is at the very heart of what it does.”
Home to some of the world’s leading minds in advanced computing, the center will explore how emerging technologies in AI and analytics can be applied to large-scale financial systems and services, advancing interdisciplinary knowledge between finance and technology.
Prem NatarajanCapital One’s chief scientist and head of enterprise AI, who initiated the idea for the center with Sukhatme, said the new center will help Capital One leverage the SAC’s immense resources to address complex challenges and opportunities in the financial industry.
“HAS Capital A“We believe that multidisciplinary partnerships and initiatives like CREDIF can advance the state of the art in AI while ensuring diverse perspectives and equity in the development, testing and deployment of AI capabilities,” Natarajan said. “USC’s faculty, students and cutting-edge research resources, combined with Capital A“The industry’s mission-driven focus and world-class talent create a unique opportunity to leverage AI to solve some of financial services’ toughest problems and deliver differentiated value to millions of customers.”
The center aims to support research projects focused on developing cutting-edge technologies and approaches to enhance innovation in business and finance. Each year, USC faculty members will be invited to submit proposals for faculty-led research. An annual fellowship for doctoral students, called Capital One Fellows, will equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the field of AI in finance. In addition, USC and Capital One will also host an annual joint research symposium and workshops to share knowledge with the broader community.
“USC’s faculty, students and cutting-edge research resources, combined with Capital A“The company’s mission and world-class talent create a unique opportunity.” Prem Natarajan.
“We are thrilled to partner with Capital One to advance responsible AI and financial decision-making,” said Yannis C. Yortsos, dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering. “Our talented USC Viterbi students and faculty will use their exceptional technical computing skills to deliver human- and society-centered financial decision-making. Strong partnerships like this enable the development of extraordinary new solutions to real-world problems that help advance innovation, productivity and the pursuit of human flourishing.”
Petros Ioannou, A professor of electrical and computer engineering, aerospace and mechanical engineering, and industrial and systems engineering, will be the center’s first director.
Ioannou, the director of the Center for Advanced Transportation Technologiesholds the AV ‘Bal’ Balakrishnan Chair in Engineering and has been recently appointed as a university professor, USC’s highest academic honor. In 2008, Ioannou developed USC Master of Science in Financial Engineering Program in collaboration with the Marshall School of Businessone of the most successful master’s programs in Viterbi.
“I am delighted to be part of this important research center, where cutting-edge computational and AI techniques will be applied to solving complex financial problems,” said Ioannou. “My priority is to motivate and attract researchers and PhD students and to strengthen our capabilities in financial engineering. The potential for solving complex financial problems using computational and AI techniques is enormous.”
A member of the USC academic community since 1982, Ioannou is a leading authority in control systems, neural networks, nonlinear systems, and intelligent transportation systemsHe was recently admitted to the National Academy of Engineering and named a member of the European Academy of Sciences. He is also a member of the Academia Europaea and a member of the National Academy of Inventors. He has published 9 books, over 170 journal articles and book chapters, nearly 250 conference papers, and holds 3 patents.
“With his rich history of contributions to engineering applications across many disciplines, including networks and transportation, and his experience in establishing and leading the Master of Financial Engineering program, Professor Ioannou is well positioned to serve as the inaugural director of this multidisciplinary center,” Sukhatme said.
Published on April 11, 2024
Last updated May 16, 2024