Research

I direct the Ford AI and Society (FAIS) Lab at William & Mary, where our research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and society.

Current Research Areas

Human-AI Teaming (HAT) – We study how humans and AI agents can effectively collaborate, developing systems like VirTLab for modeling and evaluating team dynamics through agent-based simulations.

Human-Digital Twins (HDTs) – Our Comp-HuSim platform explores persistent digital personality simulation, creating AI agents with rich backstories, personality traits, and the ability to engage in complex social interactions.

Agentic AI – We build autonomous planning agents like ReasonPlanner and DAVIS that leverage temporal knowledge graphs and LLMs for reflective thinking and interactive reasoning in dynamic environments.

Computational Disinformation – We research how misinformation spreads online and develop tools for detection and analysis, including our MEWS system for real-time social media manipulation detection.

Societal Impacts of AI – I write regularly for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on topics including facial recognition in law enforcement, virtual reality ethics, and algorithmic classification’s role in societal polarization.