The Artificial Intelligence Institute at the University of South Carolina aims to be recognized as a top institution for AI applications and impact in the Southeast US and among the top in selected AI subareas. It focuses on exceptional student outcomes through many AI courses, high impact translational research, and applying AI across the university. The Institute has grown from 7 members in 2019 to over 25 in 2020, including faculty, students, postdocs, and interns. It collaborates widely across various colleges and departments at USC as well as with other universities and industry. The Institute conducts interdisciplinary, real-world applied research across many domains like healthcare, education, disasters, cybersecurity, and more to solve real problems and have measurable impact.

1. Artificial Intelligence
Institute
Amit Sheth
Founding Director
http://aiisc.ai/

2. Drivers and Distinctions
To be recognized as the top
institution in AI applications and
impact in Southeast US, and
among the top in its chosen of
selected AI subareas
● Exceptional Student Outcomes
○ Eductin: 20+ courses in AI
● High impact from translational
research
● Apply AI and realize impact
across the university
● High engagement in government,
industry and community
2

3. AIISC and Collaborators
3
● From 7 in 2019 Aug to > 25 in
2020 Aug: 5 faculty, >12 PhDs,
few Masters, >5 undergrads, 2
Post-Docs, >10 Research
Interns, 2 staff
● 7 more Faculty to hire:
5 Interdisciplinary AI, 2 core AI
Alumni in/as
Industry: IBM T.J. Watson, Almaden, Amazon,
Samsung America, LinkedIn, Facebook, Bosch
Start-ups: AppZen, AnalyticsFox, Cognovi Labs
Faculty: George Mason, University of Kentucky,
Case Western Reserve, North Carolina State
University, University of Dayton

4. University-wide mandate
● College of Medicine (5)
● College of Nursing (2)
● College of Arts & Science (2)
○ Hazard & Vulnerability Research
Inst
○ Institute of Mind and Brain
● College of Pharmacy
○ Colorectal Cancer
○ Digestive Inflammation Index
● College of Information &
Communication
● College of Engineering &
Computing
○ Civil and Environmental
○ Mechanical & Aerospace
○ Computer Sc & Engg
● College Education
○ ALL4SC
● College of Public Health
4
Practically all our work involves real world challenges, real-world data, interdisciplinary
collaborators, path-breaking research to solve the real-world challenges, real-world
deployments, real world use, and measurable real world impact.

5. Why now?
5

6. Knowledge-infused Deep Learning
(knowledge-enhanced neuro-symbolic computation)
http://kidl2020.aiisc.ai/
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Key AI theme

7. Disaster Record: RT decision support
over multimodal data streams during disasters
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8. 8
Authentication
Initial
Questionnaire
Daily Status
Check
Education and
News
Health-e Gamecocks: COVID
[Slides]

9. 9
Psychidemic
Selected for the
CRA Talk
[Slides]

10. 10
AI Institute Workshops - examples
http://kiml2020.aiisc.ai
http://cysoc.aiisc.ai
https://ai-nsf-symposium.github.io/

11. Ongoing Research at #AIISC (partial list)
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Detection of Early Onset of Colorectal Cancer
Cyber Social Threats: Radicalization, Extremism, Disinformation, Harassment
Conversational AI (virtual agents, chatbots), mobileApps and IoT for pediatric patients with nutrition
monitoring for highschool children, nutrition and type 1 diabetes, , pediatric asthma, obesity and
hypertension in adults, daily COVID-19 status check with education and training, mental health
AI and Education: personalized learning; ethics and AI
Development of an Instrumented, Intelligent Infant Interaction
Laboratory for the Prediction of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Social big data analysis to to measure spatio-temporal psychological impact of
COVID-19 (mental health, addiction, gender-based violence)
AI and Disasters (planning, coordination, response, resilience )
Factory to Factory (F2F) Networking for Future Manufacturing across South Carolina
Multiagent systems for the intelligent allocation of energy at military combat outposts and forward-operating bases

12. 12