This week, Florida State University will bring together experts on artificial intelligence and machine learning to explore the role of agentic AI — a type of AI that performs tasks and adapts to change with little human intervention — across industries including medicine, finance, education and more.

The 2026 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Expo, AIMLX26, is set for Friday, Feb. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee, 200 S. Duval Street. The two-day event is presented by the FSU Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program.

On Friday, industry professionals and researchers from FSU’s Department of Computer Science, the FSU School of Information, OpenAI, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Florida and Premera Blue Cross will present on topics ranging from the engineering of AI systems to their applications.

“The theme of this year’s event is agentic AI with a focus on how intelligent, autonomous and collaborative AI systems are reshaping research, industry and society,” said Zhe He, director of the Institute for Successful Longevity at FSU and a professor in the School of Information. “The program will explore topics such as multi-agent systems, large language model–based agents, decentralized and agentic web architectures, AI for scientific discovery, and real-world deployments in domains like health care, finance and enterprise systems.”

He, who is also affiliated with the Department of Computer Science, Department of Statistics, and the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine in the College of Medicine, will present the lecture “Developing a Multi-Agent AI System for Explaining Lab Results to Older Adults.” This work is supported by a recent grant from the National Institute on Aging’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories for Aging Research and aims to help older Americans better understand how to use AI and other emerging technologies to better manage and act upon their health data.

He’s presentation will include his team’s work on LabGenie, a patient-and-caregiver facing application that is designed to improve health outcomes for consumers.

“The system is designed to translate complex laboratory data into patient-friendly, actionable insights that support better engagement, shared decision making, and improved health literacy and outcomes,” He said.

This year’s keynote speaker, Sherwin Wu, is a member of technical staff at OpenAI and leads engineering for the OpenAI Platform. His keynote address on Friday, “Slowly, and Then All At Once: A survey of AI agents over the last three years and a glimpse into the next three years,” will discuss industry trends since ChatGPT’s launch in 2022 and the current and future landscape of AI capabilities.

On Saturday, the Challenger Learning Center will host the local K-12 community for additional FSU faculty lectures as well as a series of interactive activities — the first event of its kind in AIMLX series history. Activities include learning about robotics, color coding magnets, basic programming, car challenges, binary number bracelet crafts and more that allow learners of all ages to participate.

“We’re highlighting the connection between what goes on at FSU on the scientific level and day-to-day applications of AI tools,” said Gordon Erlebacher, IDS program director and a professor in the Department of Scientific Computing, who will present Saturday on the rapid evolution of AI tools and their impact on daily life. “AI tools have so many uses that students should learn about, and the community day allows participants to directly ask FSU faculty questions about AI while providing a point of contact for the future. We hope that hearing from local experts who use these tools will make AI approachable and relatable.”

For a full schedule of presentations, events, topics, presenter details and more, visit the FSU Data Science event website.

AIMLX26 is sponsored by Florida State University, the FSU College of Arts and Sciences, the FSU College of Communication and Information, the FSU School of Information, the FSU Department of Computer Science, the FSU Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics, the FSU Department of Scientific Computing, the FSU Department of Statistics, the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee and Ruvos.

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This August, Florida State University’s College of Arts and Sciences will welcome its first cohort of students into a new interdisciplinary master’s degree track that will prepare them to enter a growing job market spanning industries including government, technology, health care, business, education and more.  

The new track in computational linguistics, part of FSU’s Interdisciplinary Data Science Masters’s Degree Program, pulls from foundational concepts of data science and computational research methods to unlock new avenues in the scientific study of language and its sounds, structures and meanings.  

“Rapid developments in artificial intelligence have highlighted the critical importance of analyzing spoken and written language as well as other forms of communication,” said Reinier Leushuis, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics and a key player in the track’s establishment. “This new track is a perfect example of how interdisciplinary efforts lead to cutting-edge and innovative research that has exciting real-world implications.”

With demand for professional computational linguists — researchers who combine data science with linguistics to process language data — increasing, this track offers full-time and part-time study options as well as funding opportunities like tuition waivers for university and state employees, creating opportunities for working professionals in addition to students pursuing graduate study immediately after earning a bachelor’s degree. 

“AI software that uses voice recognition, such as Apple’s virtual assistant Siri, is developed by computational linguists using natural language processing engineering,” said Tom Juzek, assistant professor of computational linguistics. “They also contribute to literacy programming, language localization, translations, speech data analysis, knowledge engineering, voice interface design, language documentation and revitalization. Their skills are highly sought by government intelligence services and tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Duolingo.”

Students in the computational linguistics track will engage with world-class instructors inside and outside the classroom through opportunities such as the FSU Scientific Computing Artificial Intelligence Seminar in Tallahassee, the annual Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Expo, colloquia and technological resources at the FSU Innovation Hub and more. 

“As linguists, we gain key insights about our research that would be difficult or impossible to achieve without incorporating data science and computations into our work,” Juzek said. “In the last few decades alone, our understanding of language acquisition and children’s language acquisition, for example, improved greatly after using computational methods to analyze many language datasets, similar to datasets students will encounter in their computational linguistics courses.” 

While the track has no thesis requirement, students can pursue research opportunities with a program faculty member via Directed Individual Study and have access to laboratories such as the Visualization Laboratory in the Department of Scientific Computing and the Language Processing and Eye-tracking Laboratory in the Diffenbaugh Building. 

In addition to foundational data science courses on machine learning, regression methods, ethics and more, students in the track may also

take electives such as psycholinguistics, text analysis and deep learning, language invention, and more to stay updated on the newest applications in groundbreaking language technology.

“Large datasets are permeating and impacting every area of scientific endeavor, and this track is especially timely because large language models, the engine of today’s AI revolution, draw deeply from the field of linguistics,” said Gordon Erlebacher, director of the Interdisciplinary Data Science program and a professor in the Department of Scientific Computing. “By launching this track, we’re positioning FSU students at the forefront of a transformative field combining computational techniques with linguistic insights.”

Visit the FSU Computational Linguistics website to learn more about the new master’s degree track, including application information.

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With nearly 70 million monthly ChatGPT users in the U.S., large language models and chatbots are now used for everyday activities, corporate campaigns, research methods and more. However, even with this rapid expansion, how large language models are trained and why they respond to prompts the way they do remains unclear.

A team of two Florida State University researchers, a computational linguist and a philosopher of science, is launching a novel research area to investigate why ChatGPT responds the way it does. Their study, “Why Does ChatGPT ‘Delve’ So Much? Exploring the Source of Overrepresentation in Large Language Models,” was published in the Proceedings of the 31st International Conference on Computational Linguistics in January and is the first scientific evidence pointing toward why ChatGPT tends to overuse certain words.

“We were inspired to conduct this study after seeing discussions online from scholars who noticed different abstracts overusing very specific words,” said Zina Ward, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program faculty. “In addition to determining which words were being overused by ChatGPT, our research sought to understand how this overuse comes about. These language models are so new that there’s not much other research looking at their use of language.”

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With both Ukraine and Florida experiencing catastrophic damage to cities from war and hurricanes, respectively, students at Florida State University joined forces with peers in Ukraine to develop real-life solutions for reconstruction efforts last month. This collaboration brought students together to address an urgent and tragic crisis – the destruction of cities.

The event, “Hack Disaster: The International Hackathon to Rebuild Cities,” was hosted by the FSU Innovation Hub in collaboration with FSU’s Ukraine Task Force and the Ukrainian-based organization Hackathon Expert Group. The five-day event virtually connected 32 FSU students with 17 students from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) in Ukraine.

Hackathons have become a popular educational tool where interdisciplinary teams compete to solve a real-world problem. This unique hackathon split students into nine interdisciplinary teams, each consisting of four to six students from both Ukraine and the U.S. These binational teams worked together online to respond to the rise of natural and manmade disasters in the 21st century.

The challenge provided an exceptional opportunity for students to use design thinking and advanced technology to assess building damage and estimate reconstruction costs. Over a dozen faculty and experts from FSU and KNU volunteered to support the student teams as mentors and facilitators, offering their expertise across several disciplines, including data science, computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering, emergency management, entrepreneurship and communications.

“It was a true partnership from the earliest planning to the emotional conclusion,” said Ken Baldauf, director of the Innovation Hub at FSU. “We blended design methodologies from the FSU Innovation Hub with a hackathon framework from the Ukrainian Hackathon Expert Group. The results were even more impressive and impactful than we had hoped for. Perhaps the most valuable results were the international connections that were formed between all involved.”

The winning team, “Clear Sight Disaster Suite,” included FSU students Calen Sims, Kathleen Ticer, Ethan Long, and Farhana Taiyebah, along with KNU students Kyrylo Bonduryansky and Daniia Kravchuk. Their project focused on using a shipping container as a command-and-control center outside of a disaster recovery zone and establishing a graphical user interface concept.

Sims, the winning team’s project manager and architect, described the event as a “transformative experience.” He earned his undergraduate degree in computer engineering from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering while at FSU Panama City in 2021 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in systems engineering at the same location.

“The event not only challenged my technical skills, but also expanded my understanding of project management, systems engineering, interdisciplinary problem-solving and the importance of global collaboration,” he said. “Working alongside talented peers at FSU and KNU was particularly inspiring, as it highlighted the value of diverse perspectives in addressing complex issues like disaster recovery. This experience instilled in me a commitment to leveraging my skills to solve real-world challenges, leaving a lasting impression that will continue to guide my academic and career aspirations.”

The idea for the event was born this past summer when Taras Panchenko, head of the computer science department at KNU, spent a month on FSU’s campus through the BridgeUSA Ukrainian Academic Fellows Program. The program aims to help Ukrainian universities educate and train professionals critical to the country’s recovery and reconstruction through lasting, productive collaboration with U.S. institutions of higher education.

FSU’s Ukraine Task Force hosted Panchenko and three other Ukrainian higher education officials to learn about teacher-training development, combating human trafficking, mental health care, trauma resiliency, intensive English language development, drone applications, closed-circuit television (CCTV), body security innovations and many other areas. The task force was created in 2022 to support Ukrainian colleges and universities, explore areas of possible research or grant collaboration and educate the FSU community about Ukraine. It falls under the purview of the Learning Systems Institute.

During his time on FSU’s campus, Panchenko, who leads the Ukraine-based Hackathon Expert Group alongside peers at KNU, connected with FSU faculty members and discussed how to foster collaborations between students at FSU and KNU. That’s when he pitched the idea for a virtual hackathon where students at both institutions could collaborate virtually to solve a problem.

“All of the BridgeUSA Fellows are spectacular educators,” said Vilma Fuentes, program director of the FSU Ukraine Task Force. “They live in the world of innovation and are trying to find engaging learning opportunities for their students in the midst of Russia’s daily missile and drone attacks. I am delighted to know that we were able to organize this international hackathon just months after Taras Panchenko’s departure. It was a spectacular learning opportunity for all involved. This is just one of the many international projects we hope to implement with our Ukrainian colleagues at KNU.”

In addition to Panchenko, Baldauf and Fuentes, the planning committee for the event included Anna Romanova, researcher at Learning Systems Institute; Gordon Erlebacher, professor in the Department of Scientific Computing and program director of the Interdisciplinary Data Science Program at FSU; Emily Pritchard, assistant provost for health innovation; David Merrick, director of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program and the Center for Disaster Risk Policy at FSU; Stephen McDowell, assistant provost for international initiatives at FSU; and Paul Marty, associate vice provost for academic innovation and professor in FSU’s School of Information.

To learn more about the Innovation Hub at FSU, visit innovation.fsu.edu. For more information about FSU’s Ukraine Task Force, visit lsi.fsu.edu/fsu-ukraine-task-force.

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Over the past year, the public and academia have experienced the power artificial intelligence and machine learning possess to fundamentally change the way people interact with one another, with technology and with the world.

Florida State University is bringing together experts in the use of these technologies Friday, Feb. 23 for the 2024 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Expo, AIMLX24, an exploration of the latest applications of AI and machine learning in health care.

The expo, which features expert presentations and a panel discussion, is presented by the FSU Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program and will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee.

“Better understanding the applications of AI and machine learning techniques is crucial for navigating the future landscape of work and daily life,” said Zhe He, AIMLX24 co-organizer and an associate professor in the FSU School of Information, part of the College of Communication and Information. “For researchers and innovators, knowledge about these techniques is crucial for pushing the boundaries of what is possible, leading to breakthroughs in science and technology.”

AI’s cutting-edge technology focuses on building systems that learn and improve from history and experience rather than through programming. The rapid improvements in AI are having profound impacts on a wide array of industries, including academic research.

This year’s expo will focus on AI’s emerging role in health care, featuring presentations from professors, researchers and health care experts. Attendees will learn about new advancements in AI in health and medicine, hear valuable perspectives during individual presentations and engage with practitioners in an interactive panel discussion.

“Proficiency in AI and machine learning also opens up a wealth of career opportunities,” He said. “As demand for these skills grows across sectors, those who are knowledgeable will have a competitive advantage in the job market.”

AIMLX24’s keynote speaker is Yuan Luo, director of the Institute for AI in Medicine and an associate professor of health and biomedical informatics in Northwestern University’s Department of Preventative Medicine.

“AI is here to stay, said Gordon Erlebacher, FSU IDS program director and professor of scientific computing. “FSU’s IDS program teaches students to handle all types of data with the help of statistical, mathematical and computational tools. At the expo, students will learn about the applications of their coursework and challenge their expectations as to what is possible. I hope the attendees gain an appreciation of the new life-changing tools on the near-horizon, such as personalized medicine.”

Concerns are commonly articulated about the potential for AI software to be abused, not least by those most invested in the technology’s development. The expo will respond to these concerns and foster discussion on the importance of responsible use.

“It is important to know that AI and machine learning are not just technical subjects; they are catalysts for transformation across all facets of society,” He said. “Understanding them is key to unlocking their potential and mitigating their risks.”

AIMLX24 is sponsored by FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication and Information, School of Information, Department of Computer Science, Department of Scientific Computing, Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics and the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship.

For the full schedule of presentations, topics, details on the presenters and more, visit datascience.fsu.edu/aimlx.

About the FSU Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program:
Students in this professional degree program study the latest in machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics, and statistics as they prepare for wide-ranging careers, from cybersecurity to the sciences and health care, from finance and economics to the humanities and more.

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Machine learning and artificial intelligence have grabbed the spotlight with their potential to change the way we interact. Florida State University presents the 2023 Machine Learning Expo (MLX23) to explore the latest applications of machine learning and AI by FSU researchers.

The expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Jim Moran Building in downtown Tallahassee and is presented by the FSU Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program (IDS).

“We invite participants of this expo to open their minds to the possibilities these new tools offer, which are sprouting all around them,” said Gordon Erlebacher, FSU IDS program director and professor of scientific computing. “There’s an opportunity for Florida to become a leader in using advanced AI tools. This expo is an efficient way for the FSU community to become familiar with the tools, their use and the ethical considerations they raise.”

AI’s groundbreaking technology focuses on building systems that learn and improve from history and experience rather than explicit programming and is profoundly impacting many segments of business and industry including research activity.

MLX23 examines the newest machine learning and AI trends through presentations by FSU faculty, researchers, staff and students that illuminate how these tools are already being applied to solve complex problems. Each presentation will be accompanied by an objective analysis to compare the problem before and after machine learning integration, and hosted panel discussions will cover AI education, usage and ethics.

“Our lives are being transformed by AI,” said Zhe He, associate professor and co-chair of the information technology master’s program in the FSU School of Information. “Almost everyone is impacted by AI to a certain degree.”

This year’s presenters include researchers who contribute to the analysis of machine learning and AI from varied research perspectives including art, linguistics, physics, computer science, civil engineering, data administration and cyber security.

Peter Stone of the University of Texas Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and Sony AI America and founder and director of the Learning Agents Research Group, part of UT Austin’s Department of Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, will deliver a keynote address.

“Machine learning, especially the generative kind, has made much progress in both language and images,” Erlebacher said. “More people have used AI chatbot ChatGPT since it launched in November 2022 than any other app or product in history. There are so many ways to use these new technologies, and we are excited to share them with attendees.”

Concerns are commonly articulated about the potential for AI software to be abused, not least by the scholars most invested in the technology’s development. The workshop will respond to these concerns and foster discussion on the importance of responsible use.

“It’s critical that we share our experiences using AI in research, education and our daily activities,” Zhe He said. “I hope attendees will also become aware of the unintended consequences of AI in our society.”

MLX23 is sponsored by FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication and Information, School of Information, Department of Computer Science, Department of Scientific Computing, Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics and Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship.

For the full schedule of presentations, topics, details on the presenters and more, visit datascience.fsu.edu/mlx.

About the FSU Interdisciplinary Data Science Master’s Degree Program:

Students in this professional degree program study the latest in machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer science, mathematics and statistics as they prepare for wide-ranging careers, from cybersecurity to the sciences and health care, from finance and economics to the humanities and more.

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