Our Mission
Our mission is to combine research and prototyping to create applications for AI that will change how we work and learn. In doing so, we seek to shape the direction of AI to ensure it is used in ways that help humans thrive and succeed, while mitigating risks and dangers.
Our Team
Our team consists of researchers and builders creating prototypes that advance AI in ethical and valuable ways.
Dr. Ethan Mollick
Co-Director,
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Dr. Ethan Mollick is an Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship, and also examines the effects of artificial intelligence on work and education. He is the Co-Director of the Generative AI Lab at Wharton. His academic papers have been published in top management journals and his research has been covered by CNN, The New York Times, and other leading publications. His newest book on AI, Co-Intelligence, is a New York Times Bestseller.
Dr. Lilach Mollick
Co-Director,
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Dr. Lilach Mollick is the Co-Director of the Generative AI Lab at Wharton. Her work focuses on the development of pedagogical strategies that include artificial intelligence and interactive methodologies. She has worked with Wharton to develop a wide range of educational tools and games used in classrooms worldwide. She has also written several papers on the uses of AI for teaching and training, and her work on AI has been discussed in publications including The New York Times and Vox. She advises companies and organizations on the advantages and risks of AI in teaching.
Natalie Bach
Application Developer
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Natalie Bach is an Application Developer at the Generative AI Lab, supporting the design, scope, and coding of AI-powered games. Her passion for creating engaging experiences is complemented by a diverse professional background in front-end development, user experience, and multimedia. Natalie leverages AI in her work to debug code, transform her rough ideas into professional business language, and craft detailed project plans. She holds a BA in Digital Arts and Multimedia Design with a minor in Computer Science from La Salle University.
Outside of work, Natalie’s enthusiasm for discovery and love for learning shine in her hobbies. She loves skating with her roller derby team, teaching new skaters, and improving her abilities. When she’s not on skates, she enjoys traveling and caring for her plants.
LJ Ciccarelli
Application Developer
Generative AI Lab
BIO
LJ “Cicc” Ciccarelli, is an Application Developer at the Generative AI Lab. Cicc is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems & Technology. Their comprehensive academic background spans networking, software design, programming, cybersecurity, and criminal forensics, bringing a multifaceted approach to technology solutions. Cicc’s passion for education was demonstrated through a successful tenure as a tutor and teaching assistant during college, culminating in a rewarding collaboration with the Generative AI Lab to develop innovative learning experiences. Known affectionately as a ‘workaholic’ by the build team, Cicc’s dedication is only rivaled by a love for writing and kickboxing outside of work.
Logan Kilpatrick
Senior Fellow
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Logan currently leads product for Google AI Studio, supports the Gemini API, and is working on AGI. Before Google, Logan led Developer Relations at OpenAI. In the open source community, Logan is the President of NumFOCUS, a US 501c3 which supports all of the worlds largest open source scientific projects.
Sherry Lachman
Senior Fellow
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Sherry Lachman has dedicated her career to improving government and nonprofit programs for underserved communities as a senior policymaker in two presidential administrations, social entrepreneur, and public interest attorney. She is currently a senior fellow at the Wharton Generative AI Lab and a Doris Duke fellow at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown. Previously, she served as the head of social impact at OpenAI. In the Biden-Harris Administration, she led the division of the White House Office of Management and Budget charged with overseeing the development of policies and budgets across the federal government’s education, labor, and social services agencies. In the Obama-Biden Administration, she served as a domestic policy advisor to then-Vice President Biden and as a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education. From 2015 to 2021, Sherry founded and served as the executive director of Foster America, a nonprofit dedicated to reforming the U.S. child welfare system. Earlier in her career, she was a senior education counsel in the U.S. Senate and a children’s civil rights attorney at the Juvenile Law Center. Sherry received a master’s in philosophy from the University of Cambridge, a master’s in public policy from Harvard, and a J.D. from Columbia.
Daniel Ravipinto
Senior Interactive Fiction Writer
Generative AI Lab
BIO
Daniel Ravipinto is a Senior Interactive Fiction Writer with the Generative AI Lab. His fascination with narrative and games began at the age of eight, when Wishbringer told him he could open the envelope. His first Interactive-Fiction game, Tapestry, won second place in the 1996 IF Competition. In 2003, his collaboration with Star C. Foster, Slouching Towards Bedlam, won first place. Both pieces won XYZZY Awards, with Slouching nominated for eight awards and ultimately winning four. In his work at Wharton, he has designed several AI-supported games and simulations that use LLMs to produce both narrative text and educational material, simulating characters and mentors as well as detailed, personalized feedback for students. Daniel is a writer, computer programmer, musician, and a rabid game connoisseur. He is working on the next volume of The Grey City fantasy series with Neil McGarry, and both are currently co-writing an encyclopedia of role-playing games with Mark Fabrizi.
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