As artificial intelligence increasingly writes code, manages software systems, and makes decisions with little human oversight, researchers at Cornell University are launching a new research initiative aimed at answering this critical question.

The new effort brings together experts in artificial intelligence, computer security, and formal verification to tackle the growing risks posed by autonomous AI systems—software agents that don’t just generate text, but plan, reason, and take action in the world.

Cornell is uniquely positioned to lead this work, with strengths spanning machine learning, programming languages, security, privacy, distributed systems, and formal methods. The initiative will foster collaboration across these areas, supported by regular seminars and an annual research showcase.

The resulting tools and frameworks will be released as open-source software, enabling broader adoption by researchers and industry alike.

“This research is about making sure AI systems act not just intelligently,” the researchers say, “but responsibly, safely, and in ways we can verify and trust.”

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