CAREER: Robust Machine Learning in the Realistic Open World

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $599,991 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Machine learning (ML) techniques play a pivotal role in modern artificial intelligence (AI) systems, but they remain notably vulnerable to disruptions caused by security attacks. These vulnerabilities can severely compromise AI system performance or be exploited maliciously, posing significant economic, ethical, and societal risks. For example, placing a small sticker on a stop sign could cause a self-driving car's perception system to misinterpret it as a speed limit sign, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences. As the reliance on AI grows, ensuring the secure, robust, and resilient operation of ML systems becomes increasingly essential. However, most robust ML research has focused on static, closed-world scenarios that fail to address the complexities of dynamic, real-world environments. This award aims to develop transformative methods to enhance the resilience and reliability of ML systems in these challenging settings. The outcome of this project promises broad societal benefits, including safer and more dependable AI applications in diverse fields such as biology, healthcare, cybersecurity, and manufacturing. Additionally, the project will transform AI education by integrating ML robustness as a foundational theme, preparing future workforce to tackle emerging challenges in trustworthy AI, and fostering public awareness of AI risks and mitigation strategies through extensive outreach. This award seeks to advance AI research by addressing three key challeng

Key facts

NSF award ID
2443182
Awardee
North Carolina State University (NC)
SAM.gov UEI
U3NVH931QJJ3
PI
Xiaorui Liu
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, INFO INTEGRATION & INFORMATICS
Estimated total
$599,991
Funds obligated
$331,063
Transaction type
Continuing Grant
Period
07/15/2025 → 06/30/2030