By Anne Levin

Princeton is the latest location for a research facility to be opened by media giant Google. On Tuesday afternoon, Princeton University and Google announced the creation of a new artificial intelligence lab, to be led by two computer science professors and be based in offices at 1 Palmer Square.

According to information from the University, the lab will start with a small number of faculty members, graduate and undergraduate researchers, recent graduates, and software engineers. Professors Elad Hazan and Yoram Singer, who will split their time working for Google and the University, have been collaborating with Google for several years.

The work in the lab will focus on a discipline within artificial intelligence known as machine learning, in which computers learn from existing information and develop the ability to draw conclusions and make decisions in new situations that were not in the original data, according to the University’s website. Examples include speech recognition systems and self-driving cars that process complex visual cues. The work will build on recent advances by Hazan, Singer, and colleagues in optimization methods for machine learning to improve their speed and accuracy while reducing the required computing power.

“We feel it’s a great opportunity, both for machine learning theorists at Princeton to benefit from exposure to real-world computing problems, and for Google to benefit from long-term, unconstrained academic research that Google may incorporate into future products,” said Singer.

Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert said the lab will add to the energy already generated by the private co-working space Tigerlabs, and the University’s eHub. “It’s exciting to see this building upon the existing innovation ecosystem that has been growing in Princeton,” she said, adding, “Central Princeton is a great place for companies to come who want the proximity to the researchers at the University, and a location that has a real sense of place.”

The new lab is expected to begin operating next month.

The announcement on the University’s website says that the type of work to be done at the lab has deep roots in Princeton, starting from the work of John von Neumann, a visiting faculty member before moving to the Institute for Advanced Study. Von Neumann is also the founder of game theory, which is relevant to the current work. The
announcement also cites famous graduate Alan Turing.

“Computing started at Princeton more than 80 years ago when alumnus Alan Turing first introduced a theory for how machines could calculate,” said Emily Carter, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. “This collaboration is another excellent example of how fundamental insights in mathematics and theoretical computer science drive new technologies with benefits far beyond the original domain of the work.”

Google, which recently announced that they will create a $1 billion campus on West Street in Manhattan, elected to establish a lab in Princeton because of talent.

“We specifically chose a location very close to the University to promote such collaborations,” said Amy McDonald Sandjideh, a technical program manager at Google who is quoted on the University’s announcement. “Particularly having access to graduate students and even undergrads can provide a lot of inspiration. Sometimes you learn the most from teaching and helping younger people understand what you’ve been working on, and that can really push you in new directions. That is a great benefit for Google in working more closely with universities like Princeton that have really excellent minds.”

Lempert said she had heard about the collaboration, but wasn’t sure of the exact timing. “I knew it was in the works and I’m excited that it’s now public,” she said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Princeton University and it’s great for the town, too. When companies are looking for a place to locate their offices, they want livability, walkability, proximity to services, and to be in a place that has unique character. We can offer all those things.”