What’s next for Ai2: A conversation with Interim CEO Peter Clark

2026-05-01 · Source: Ai2 Blog · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

Interim CEO Peter Clark, in a May 1, 2026 interview, outlined Ai2's renewed commitment to its founding mission of advancing AI science openly for global benefit. He highlighted the institute's focus on long-term, high-impact research amidst rapid AI progress, emphasizing the importance of open models for scientific understanding and community building. Ai2's past contributions include foundational work like ELMo, leading to projects such as Olmo, Molmo, and FlexOlmo. Current applications like AutoDiscovery aid cancer treatment, and OlmoEarth helps understand Earth systems. Future efforts will concentrate on advancing AI system reliability, AI for scientific research via the Asta agentic ecosystem (including ScholarQA, AutoDiscovery, and Theorizer), embodied AI with projects like MolmoAct and MolmoBot, and AI for the planet, including environmental and conservation initiatives. The NSF OMAI project, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and NVIDIA, is central to developing the next generation of open, transparent models.

Key takeaway

For AI Scientists and Research Scientists evaluating long-term research strategies, Ai2's commitment to open science and sustained, high-impact projects offers a valuable model. You should consider how open model development, like the NSF OMAI project, can accelerate scientific understanding and foster community collaboration. Prioritize research that bridges fundamental exploration with real-world applications, such as AI for scientific discovery or embodied AI, to maximize both transparency and societal benefit.

Key insights

Ai2 prioritizes open, long-term, high-impact AI research to advance science and deliver real-world benefits.

Principles

• Open models enable deeper scientific understanding.
• Nonprofits can pursue long-term, exploratory AI problems.
• Connect fundamental research to real-world applications.

Method

Ai2 progresses from fundamental research to early prototypes and then to systems with real-world applications, exemplified by AutoDiscovery's evolution from research to a managed solution.

In practice

• Explore open models like Olmo for frontier AI development.
• Utilize agentic ecosystems like Asta for scientific discovery.
• Invest in embodied AI for adaptable physical systems.

Topics

• Open Science
• AI Research Strategy
• Large Language Models
• Scientific Discovery AI
• Embodied AI
• AI for Earth Systems
• NSF OMAI

Best for: AI Scientist, Research Scientist, Director of AI/ML

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Ai2 Blog.