A Sustainable Model for Industry-University Collaboration

In the responsible development of artificial intelligence, we believe academia and industry each have an important role to play. Yet the arms race for talent in AI has been driving a rapid brain-drain from academia. This is problematic for business and society. At the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, we’ve created a more sustainable model.

Building on our shared history between MIT and IBM Research, we’ve made a 10-year, $250 million commitment to authentic collaboration focused on fundamental science for real-world impact. We operate with a mirrored MIT-IBM leadership structure, and we invite select member companies and strategic partners to join the lab and sit on our advisory council. We fund about 50 projects per year and publish in the top peer-reviewed venues. Each project is co-led by principal investigators from MIT and IBM Research. By working together in a sustainable way, we preserve that delicate academic-industry balance needed for the long-term flourishing of the technology community.

AI in Kendall Square

We’re located in one of the fastest-growing technology centers in the world: Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Across the street from MIT, down the road from Harvard, and situated in a dense cluster of the world’s leading technology companies, Kendall Square is a vibrant ecosystem for innovators. In 2021, our IBM Research team, currently in the IBM Watson Health building at 75 Binney St., will moving into our new offices on MIT’s campus at 314 Main St. (currently under construction).

Rendering of our offices at 314 Main St. in the Kendall Square technology center of Cambridge, Massachusetts.