Frida Polli Joins MIT to Explore Behavioral Science and AI Innovations

MIT Embraces Pioneering Behavioral Science and AI Innovator Frida Polli

Frida Polli, an eminent neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and renowned expert in Behavioral Science and AI, is welcomed as the new Visiting Innovation Scholar at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Her appointment signals MIT’s dedication to advancing the interdisciplinary convergence of behavioral science and artificial intelligence—a timely evolution in the technological landscape.

A Confluence of Innovation and Expertise

With a rich background in academic neuroscience, Polli began her distinguished career by focusing on multimodal brain imaging research, particularly concerning health and disease. Her illustrious path saw her as a fellow at the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Group at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School and as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Her work with John Gabrieli, renowned for research in health sciences and neuroimaging, laid a solid foundation for Polli’s journey from science to the entrepreneurial domain.

Frida Polli holds a Ph.D. from Suffolk University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BA from Dartmouth College. Her paper trail in academia includes over 30 peer-reviewed publications, establishing her prominence in the scientific community. Her transition from academia to innovation led her to co-found pymetrics in 2012, a company that redefined recruitment processes through analytics-driven decision-making, leveraging advances in AI and cognitive neuroscience. As CEO, she guided pymetrics to success until its acquisition in 2022.

Revolutionizing Human Capital with AI

Pymetrics stands as a testament to Polli’s prowess in utilizing AI to mitigate biases in recruitment. This groundbreaking platform applies Machine Learning and AI-based games to evaluate both hard and soft skills, matching candidates to fit job roles while minimizing systemic bias. This technology has been adopted by industry leaders like Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Kraft Heinz, McDonald’s, and AstraZeneca, streamlining their recruitment processes.

“Both hard and soft skills are important for success in any particular role, and the particular mix… it really depends on the role at hand.” Her vision uprights AI not as a deterministic force but an enhancer of opportunities, selectively empowering organizational talent strategies.

Strategizing for Ethical AI and Social Good

Returning to MIT, Polli collaborates with Sendhil Mullainathan, Peter de Florez Professor at MIT, to spearhead initiatives that address the pressing challenges where humans and machines intersect. Together, they are pioneering a new subdomain within computer science focused on behavioral insights, designed to train the next generation of scientists adept in both fields.

In Polli’s words, “People are increasingly interacting with algorithms, often with poor results because most algorithms are not built with human interplay in mind. We will focus on designing algorithms that will work synergistically with people. Only such algorithms can help us address large societal challenges in education, health care, poverty, et cetera.”

Inclusive and Visionary Leadership

Frida Polli’s influence extends beyond pymetrics. After selling the company, she founded Alethia AI in 2023, aspiring to foster transparency in technological applications and ethical AI usage. Further, her latest venture, Rosalind Ventures, aims to support women entrepreneurs in science and health care sectors, encouraging diversity and innovation in a traditionally underrepresented demographic.

Polli has received numerous accolades, such as being named among Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders and Entrepreneur’s Top 100 Powerful Women. These recognitions underscore her visionary leadership and commitment to shaping a more inclusive technological future.

The Road Ahead at MIT

At the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, Polli’s presence is more than just academic. Dean Dan Huttenlocher asserts, “I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Polli back to MIT. As a bilingual expert in both behavioral science and AI, she is a natural fit for the college. Her entrepreneurial background makes her a terrific inaugural visiting innovation scholar.”

MIT and Frida Polli are paving the way for partnerships that challenge traditional boundaries of AI, marrying technical prowess with socio-behavioral insights for a more navigable, human-focused AI world. Alex Smith, akin to MIT’s AI-Curious Executive, can draw inspiration and tangible strategies from Polli’s work, achieving optimized operations, competitive edges, and transformative customer experiences in his own organization by embracing these pioneering AI solutions.

For further reading, find the detailed information about her role and vision at MIT here.