Introducing this year’s list of 35 Innovators Under 35

How do you know what’s coming next, especially with a topic as fast-moving as technology? MIT Technology Review’s annual list of 35 Innovators Under 35 seeks to answer that question by spotlighting the young people driving the next wave of innovation. In this edition of What’s Next in Tech, meet the inspiring young Innovators working across AI, biotech, climate and energy, computing, and robotics, and explore what their work tells us about where technology will go in the near future.

This week: Take advantage of two opportunities to engage with our reporters and editors on the topic of artificial intelligence. Later today, at 12 p.m. ET, join Charlotte Jee, news editor, and Melissa Heikkil?, senior reporter for AI, for an exclusive subscriber-only event about the state of AI regulation. Then, on Thursday, September 14, Melissa will host Gareth Edwards, director of the upcoming sci-fi film “The Creator,” for a LinkedIn Live discussion about the pitfalls and possibilities of artificial intelligence. Register for that LinkedIn Live event today.

Andrew Ng: How to be an innovator

Innovation is a powerful engine for uplifting society and fueling economic growth. Antibiotics, electric lights, refrigerators, airplanes, smartphones—we have these things because innovators created something that didn’t exist before.?

As a renowned global AI innovator, Andrew Ng knows a thing or two about innovations that make an impact, having led Google Brain to drive large-scale deep learning, and created online courses that led to the founding of course provider Coursera.?

Ng, who is also a former 35 Innovators Under 35 honoree, shares some of his wisdom about how to innovate responsibly, and how to sidestep any potential roadblocks along the way. Read the essay.

Explore the full list of 35 Innovators Under 35

This year’s Innovators work in AI, biotech, climate and energy, computing, and robotics.?

Here’s what their work entails:

• Artificial intelligence: Progress in AI has been breathtaking in the past year. This year’s innovators are employing it to redefine entire fields, and to make sure it’s safe to use.
• Biotechnology: This year’s innovators are using technology to understand the body at the smallest scale, to find new ways to attack cancer, and to try to cure Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• Climate and energy: The climate crisis demands answers from a variety of angles. These innovators are working to solve problems in carbon capture, battery-making, and managing the grid.
• Computing: New developments in computing range from greener chips to a quantum computing breakthrough.
• Robotics: With the help of these innovators, robots are being asked to do more than ever before—including driving cars, drilling tunnels, and aiding humans in space.

Explore the full package and learn about each of this year’s 35 Innovators.

Meet the 2023 Innovator of the Year

This year, MIT Technology Review honored one of the 35 Innovators as Innovator of the Year.?

Sharon Li, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is a pioneer in an AI safety feature that helps AI models determine when they should abstain from action if faced with something they weren’t trained on.?

Her research could prevent AI models from failing catastrophically when they encounter unfamiliar scenarios. Li's work also calls on the artificial intelligence community to rethink its approach to training, and is a crucial step towards creating systems that are not only trustworthy, but safe. Read her profile.

Images: Nico Ortega; Vichhika Tep; Sara Stathas