Computer science professor John McCarthy, a “founding father” of AI, established the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory on campus in 1963. Today, as the technology begins to transform society, the university is advancing its responsible development through education, interdisciplinary research, real-world application, and policy work that ensures benefit to humanity.
Our Impact
Artificial Intelligence
Cancer Research
Every 15 seconds a new case of cancer is diagnosed in the United States, and the global burden of the disease is rapidly rising. Stanford is leveraging expertise across the university to advance research, technology, and care – opening new facilities, expanding access to clinical trials, and moving promising new therapies from the lab to patients, as quickly as possible.
Olympic Excellence
For more than 100 years, the United States has dominated the Summer Games, and Stanford-affiliated athletes have been responsible for a significant part of that success – winning 335 medals, including 162 golds, and counting. Stanford’s haul of 39 medals at the 2024 Olympics tied Canada’s and was the most by any school in history.
Civics
Stanford’s founding charter established a fundamental civic purpose, and the university’s very first general education requirement, in 1923, was a course on citizenship. That focus remains strong today. In classes and extracurricular activities, students practice listening with respect, learning from multiple viewpoints, and communicating with clarity – skills foundational to thriving in a pluralistic society.