Dedicated to research and education in computer science and information technology, ISD is home to more than one hundred researchers and PhD students in Artificial Intelligence.

Many ISD researchers are also on the faculty in computer science, and likewise, many CS graduate students do their PhD dissertation research at ISI. We are one of the largest AI groups in the country, with research spanning most AI topics.

ISD overlooks the coastal harbor of Marina del Rey, a casual boating town connected by a 13-mile bike path with residential coastal cities from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach. Southern California provides an ideal backdrop for creative work, with a number of major universities, cultural activities, water and mountain sports, and entertainment/shopping districts.

ISI is part of the USC School of Engineering. A number of ISI researchers are also Research Faculty in the Department of Computer Science at USC, and advise graduate students on directed research projects and dissertations. Many PhD students at USC complete their degrees while working as research assistants on ISI projects.

Our AI division holds a weekly research seminar mixing outside speakers with talks by ISI researchers. Several AI groups hold additional seminars, creating a lively research environment. AI groups at ISI frequently collaborate with each other, and they also work with groups like USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, as well as researchers outside USC.

Our research atmosphere is personal and casual. We focus on hard-science, cutting-edge ideas -- and on building AI systems that work.