Artificial intelligence researcher, Baobao Zhang of Maxwell, granted NSF CAREER award to explore generative AI applications in work environments.
Baobao Zhang, an associate professor of political science and Maxwell Dean Associate Professor of the Politics of AI, has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award. The title of Zhang's project is "The Future of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Current and Future Workforces."
This highly competitive and prestigious award, one of the most prestigious early-career recognitions from the National Science Foundation, will provide Zhang with a grant of $300,000 over five years. The total amount of the award given to Zhang is $567,491.
Dean David M. Van Slyke praised Zhang's work, stating that it exemplifies the Maxwell School's strength in addressing timely, real-world issues. He noted that Zhang's research on the governance of artificial intelligence is particularly noteworthy.
Zhang's research focuses on trust in digital technology and the governance of AI. She studies public and elite opinions toward AI, and how institutions adapt to technological change. Her study will examine the effects of generative AI on skill development, job satisfaction, worker productivity, and how it is transforming American workplaces.
In addition to her academic achievements, Zhang serves as a senior research associate with the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute and the Campbell Public Affairs Institute. She has also received the Public Voices Fellowship on Technology in the Public Interest (2023-24) and the Schmidt Futures AI2050 Early Career Fellowship (2022).
Zhang's work has been published in journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Nature Human Behavior. She has also co-edited the volume, The Oxford Handbook of AI Governance. Zhang joined the Maxwell School faculty in 2021.
The NSF CAREER Award furthered the Maxwell School's mission to equip future policymakers with tools to navigate an economy that is increasingly shaped by AI. With this award, Zhang will continue her research and education efforts to understand and shape the future of AI in the workplace.
