Prof. Angela Yu's "Computational Modeling of Intelligent Systems" Group, TU Darmstadt

After 14 years as faculty at the University of California San Diego, Prof. Angela Yu joined TU Darmstadt as an Alexander von Humboldt AI Professor in 2023. Multiple PhD and postdoctoral positions are immediately available in her research group.

Research Focus

Prof. Yu's group investigates the intersection of natural and artificial intelligence using mathematically rigorous approaches to understand the representations and computations underlying intelligent behavior. The research particularly addresses challenges of inferential uncertainty and opportunities of volitional control. The group employs diverse methodological tools including Bayesian statistical modeling, control theory, reinforcement learning, and information theory to develop theoretical frameworks explaining key aspects of cognition: perception, attention, decision-making, learning, cognitive control, active sensing, economic behavior, and social interactions.

Current Research Questions

• How is socio-emotional intelligence similar or different from cognitive intelligence? How can AI be taught socio-emotional intelligence?

• How are artificial intelligence (e.g. as demonstrated by large language models) and natural intelligence (e.g. as measured by IQ tests) similar or different in their underlying representation or computations?

• What roles do intrinsic motivations such as curiosity and representational efficiency play in intelligent systems?

• How can insights about artificial intelligence improve the understanding and augmentation of human intelligence?

• Are capacity limitations with respect to attention and working memory features or bugs in the brain? How can AI systems be enhanced by attention or WM?

• How does the brain achieve computational efficiency and efficacy with little labeled data and energetic needs?