The focus of the UC San Diego Center for Machine-Intelligence, Computing and Security(MICS)  is pioneering the next era of AI revolution by deeply integrating hardware, software, and data. Moving beyond traditional machine learning, our work focuses on the full lifecycle of modern intelligent systems—from the development and efficient deployment of massive generative foundation models and large language models (LLMs), to iteratively leveraging AI (which itself is fueled by the hardware capabilities itself) to dramatically accelerate chip design, to the rigorous validation of AI outputs through proofs of provenance and computation. We are fundamentally re-architecting computing stacks to support these data-intensive models, and using data-intensive models to make better compute systems, ensuring that training and inference can scale intelligently from the cloud to the most resource-constrained edge devices.

Our innovations directly enable the new wave of physically embedded intelligence, where intelligent agentic-based decision-making must occur in the real world with physical constraints and just in-time within physical embodiments such as drones, medical devices, and autonomous systems. We lead in agentic, automated performance optimization that adapts across diverse platforms and have pioneered the safe training and execution of deep learning-based networks directly on edge devices. Furthermore, our holistic approach to cyber-physical systems integrates advances in privacy-preserving computation and verifiable AI to secure these agents against adversarial threats, ensuring that the deployment of generative models in the physical world is both robust and trustworthy.

Recent News


UC San Diego Electrical Engineering Professor Honored by Schmidt Sciences for AI Research

UC San Diego Electrical Engineering Professor Honored by Schmidt Sciences for AI Research

December 19, 2024

University of California San Diego electrical and computer engineering professor Yuanyuan Shi has been named a 2024 AI2050 Early Career Fellow by Schmidt Sciences. This honor recognizes Shi’s pioneering work in developing AI and control models for sustainable energy systems–particularly, AI-driven building control systems designed to optimize indoor air quality while reducing energy consumption. Full Story


UC San Diego Electrical Engineering Professor Inducted Into National Academy of Inventors

UC San Diego Electrical Engineering Professor Inducted Into National Academy of Inventors

December 10, 2024

UC San Diego electrical engineering professor Farinaz Koushanfar has been elected to the 2024 Class of Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Koushanfar is Co-Director of the Center for Machine-Intelligence, Computing & Security at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.  Full Story


Curiosity Ignited: Showcasing How AI is Accelerating Discoveries

Curiosity Ignited: Showcasing How AI is Accelerating Discoveries

November 14, 2024

The inaugural Curiosity Ignited, a signature Homecoming academic symposium, explored topics of AI and its connection to interdisciplinary research at UC San Diego. Students, alumni, and thought leaders gathered on Saturday, November 9, for engaging presentations and discussions on how UC San Diego is advancing the world’s use of AI while creating an equitable future. Full Story


MICS and IEM Collaborate via Networking Event

MICS and IEM Collaborate via Networking Event

November 14, 2024

The Center for Machine-Intelligence, Computing & Security collaborated with the UC San Diego Institute of Engineering in Medicine on a recent networking event.    Full Story


18 New Endowed Chairs Created at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering

18 New Endowed Chairs Created at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering

August 6, 2024

The UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering has created 18 new endowed chairs, empowering a world-class cohort of faculty to explore new and innovative research directions. These endowed chairs have been made possible through the generous and visionary philanthropy of Irwin and Joan Jacobs. Full Story


Advanced AI-Based Techniques Scale-up Solving Complex Combinatorial Optimization Problems

Advanced AI-Based Techniques Scale-up Solving Complex Combinatorial Optimization Problems

June 10, 2024

A framework based on advanced AI techniques can solve complex, computationally intensive problems faster and in a more more scalable way than state-of-the-art methods, according to a study led by engineers at the University of California San Diego.    Full Story


Computer Scientists Find New Cybersecurity Attacks on Hardware and Software

Computer Scientists Find New Cybersecurity Attacks on Hardware and Software

April 26, 2024

Researchers have found two novel types of attacks that target the conditional branch predictor found in high-end Intel processors, which could be exploited to compromise billions of processors currently in use.  Full Story


UC San Diego Among Multidisciplinary Awards Providing $221M Nationally for Cutting-Edge Projects

UC San Diego Among Multidisciplinary Awards Providing $221M Nationally for Cutting-Edge Projects

April 16, 2024

Three Jacobs School faculty are part of projects funded by the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative awards program this year. They are Kamalika Chaudhuri in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Jorge Cortes and Boris Kramer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.  Full Story


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