USC Information Sciences Institute

“Probably” doesn’t mean what you think it means—at least not to AI. New research from the USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI), led by Mayank Kejriwal, shows that humans and AI interpret uncertainty very differently. Terms like “likely” or “unlikely” can map to inconsistent signals in large language models, creating real risks in decision-making. As AI moves into high-stakes domains, aligning how we communicate uncertainty isn’t optional—it’s essential. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gsDChjB8

When Americans seek financial justice, not everyone is treated equally. New research from USC Information Sciences Institute, co-authored by Mayank Kejriwal, analyzed 1.27M+ consumer financial complaints and found that older adults and veterans are more likely to face delays in getting responses from companies, even as overall response rates improve. The gap is small—but persistent. And at scale, it matters. It’s a reminder that equity in financial systems isn’t just about access—it’s about outcomes and timeliness, too. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gb-9YWqW #AIforGood #FinTech #ConsumerProtection #DataScience #PublicInterestTech

Big congratulations to Fandel Lin on successfully defending his Ph.D. dissertation in computer science this Wednesday! 🎉 His dissertation, “Learning to Interpret Historical Maps by Exploiting Polygon Metadata,” breaks new ground in automating the interpretation of historical cartographic data. Advised by Craig Knoblock, executive director of the USC Information Sciences Institute, Fandel’s achievement reflects years of innovation, persistence, and impact. Well done, Dr. Lin! 👏

Thrilled to share some exciting news from the USC Information Sciences Institute 🎉 Principal Scientist Mayank Kejriwal has been honored with the ARIS Emerging Broader Impacts Leader Award. This prestigious recognition, awarded by Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS), celebrates Mayank's outstanding commitment to scholarship and research that creates a tangible, positive impact on society. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), ARIS highlights the importance of bridging the gap between high-level research and its broader public benefits—a mission Mayank has championed through his work at ISI. As Mayank shared: “ISI is a special place for doing high-risk, high-reward projects that continue to have impact for many years.” He also emphasized the importance of mentorship in achieving this milestone: “I want to publicly thank Yolanda Gil for all her advice, support and mentorship… Yolanda is an institutional treasure.” We’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and the broader impact Mayank continues to drive through his work. 👏

We’re excited to launch the search for the next Director of the USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI). This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the nation’s premier research institutes at the forefront of AI, cybersecurity, and advanced computing. The Director will help shape ISI’s strategic vision, strengthen partnerships, and drive innovation that impacts both academia and national priorities. We invite our ISI community—staff, researchers, students, and partners—to share this opportunity within your networks. Your support will help us identify an exceptional leader for our next chapter. 🔗 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gjZSSxpi

As part of Staff Appreciation Week at the USC Information Sciences Institute, today’s Kahoot trivia offered a great opportunity for colleagues to connect, engage, and enjoy a bit of friendly competition. Moments like these reflect the strong sense of community at ISI MDR and the importance of creating space for connection beyond day-to-day work. We’re grateful for our dedicated staff and the collaborative culture that continues to bring our teams together. #USC #ISI #StaffAppreciation #WorkplaceCulture #Community #EmployeeEngagement

What if AI could help close the gap between patients and life-saving vaccines? At the University of Southern California, researchers are bringing AI into the clinic with “Chat-HPV”—a tool built by USC Viterbi School of Engineering professors in collaboration with Keck Medicine of USC professionals. Built to save time, reduce harm, and enable real-time, personalized conversations, it helps patients better understand HPV vaccination—one of the most effective ways to prevent multiple cancers. Led by Dr. Xiayoue Mona Guo, a gynecologic oncologist at Keck and Los Angeles General Medical Center, the work brings together several experts. They include Souti (Rini) Chattopadhyay and Jon May from the USC Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science Computer Science, who co-developed the tool. This is what AI for health looks like: human-centered, accessible, and built to make an impact. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gMdGQYHX #AI #DigitalHealth #PublicHealth #HPV #CancerPrevention #USC #AIforGood

So cool to be featured in this segment of CNN Explains with our recent The Web Conference paper (link in comments). w/ Jinyi Ye Gian Marco Orlando Mahdi Saeedi Vincenzo Moscato Valerio La Gatta Emilio Ferrara USC Viterbi School of Engineering USC Information Sciences Institute USC Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science USC School of Advanced Computing

Proud moment for ISI! Our team has achieved CMMC Level 2 certification, meeting the Department of War’s latest cybersecurity standards. We are joining a select group of research institutes certified to work with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), sensitive data that falls between publicly accessible information and classified materials. This milestone reflects our strong commitment to protecting sensitive data and supporting the Defense Industrial Base with trusted, mission-focused expertise. This achievement strengthens ISI’s ability to advance secure research and collaboration across defense and critical technology domains. Learn more about what this means for our research and mission: https://lnkd.in/gZpuRqni #Cybersecurity #CMMC #Defense #Research #Compliance #Innovation USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Researchers at USC’s USC Information Sciences Institute ran a simulation that shows AI agents can now work together on their own to run coordinated propaganda campaigns online — without humans directing every move. Imagine this: 🔹 It’s two weeks before an election. 🔹 A flood of posts appears across social networks pushing the same narrative, all reinforcing one another. 🔹 At first glance, it looks like a grassroots movement, but it isn’t real. 🔹 Behind the scenes, a network of AI “agents” writes posts, learns what works, and amplifies each other’s messages. This isn’t sci-fi: It’s what the research by ISI's Jinyi Yi and Luca Luceri , among others, shows is technically possible now. The implications for elections, public health, policy discussions, and whether we trust we information we see online are huge. Read the article here. https://lnkd.in/guKrEP4g