AI Institute: Planning: TRustworthy Autonomous Systems Engineering (TRASE)

从很多方面来说，自主性是人工智能 (AI) 的圣杯。尽管许多学科和许多应用在实现这一最终目标方面取得了巨大进展，但通用自治仍然难以实现。事实上，即使我们专注于特定类别的应用程序，例如自动驾驶，仍然存在许多差距。许多自主系统面临的一项基本挑战是确保自主行为是值得信赖的：即安全、可靠、可靠和公平。这笔规划拨款是通往人工智能研究所的垫脚石，该研究所致力于在值得信赖的自主系统工程方面取得基础性和使用启发性的进步。 该研究所将专注于四个研究主题：1）自治系统中值得信赖的人工智能集成，2）自治系统中实时人工智能的可信平台，3）值得信赖的多代理系统，以及4）负责任的自治。其中每一项都将在理解可信系统的设计方面取得重要进展，其中人工智能体现在涉及感知、规划和控制的开环框架中。此外，这些进步将与自动驾驶和无人机等领域的基于使用的研究相结合，通过应用指导基础研究形成良性循环，并直接从中受益。该项目旨在创建一个利益相关者社区——TRASE创新生态系统——专注于值得信赖的自主系统，对从自动驾驶到自动飞行的广泛应用产生影响。此外，该研究所将以新材料的形式为课程和项目带来变革性的教育进步，培训学生设计和分析自主系统。我们的愿景是开发创新的教育内容，例如竞赛，以及围绕常见 TRASE 相关问题的综合学生-行业-研究团队。最后，将与圣路易斯社区学院（弗洛里森校区）等少数族裔服务机构建立教育合作，以扩大对计算的普遍参与，特别是对值得信赖的自主系统工程的参与。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In many ways, autonomy is the holy grail of artificial intelligence (AI). While tremendous advances towards this ultimate goal have been made across a number of disciplines, and for a number of applications, general-purpose autonomy remains elusive. Indeed, even when we focus on specific classes of applications, such as autonomous driving, numerous gaps remain. One fundamental challenge shared by many autonomous systems is to ensure that autonomous behavior is trustworthy: that is, safe, reliable, secure, and fair. This planning grant is a stepping stone towards an AI institute devoted to foundational and use-inspired advances in TRustworthy Autonomous Systems Engineering. The institute would be focused on four research themes: 1) trustworthy AI integration in autonomous systems, 2) trustworthy platforms for real-time AI in autonomous systems, 3) trustworthy multiagent systems, and 4) accountable autonomy. Each of these will yield important advances in understanding the design of trustworthy systems in which AI is embodied in an open-loop framework involving perception, planning, and control. Furthermore, these advances will be coupled with use-inspired research in areas such as autonomous driving and drones, creating a virtuous cycle with applications directing fundamental research, and benefiting directly from it. This project will aim to create a community of stakeholders---the TRASE Innovation Ecosystem---focusing on trustworthy autonomous systems, with implications for a broad range of applications, from autonomous driving to autonomous flight. In addition, the institute will yield transformative educational advances in the form of new materials for courses and programs that train students in the design and analysis of autonomous systems. The vision is to develop innovative educational components, such as competitions, and integrated student-industry-research teams that coalesce around common TRASE-relevant problems. Finally, educational collaborations will be established with minority-serving institutions, such as St Louis Community College (Florissant Campus) to broaden participation in computing in general, and in trustworthy autonomous systems engineering in particular.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.