Jugal Kalita, a distinguished computer science professor and department chair at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) research for over four decades. With a strong background in AI and machine learning, Kalita has made significant contributions to the field, teaching and mentoring numerous individuals who are now working on AI projects for infrastructure and defense giant Parsons.

Having secured 17 grants totaling nearly $4 million from esteemed institutions like the National Science Foundation, Kalita’s research primarily focuses on machine learning and natural language processing. His work finds applications in cybersecurity and bioinformatics, where computer technology is utilized to collect, store, analyze, and share biological data.

One of Kalita’s recent projects involves integrating data from various sources, such as vehicles, aircraft, and sensors, to provide valuable insights to pilots and vehicle operators. By combining different forms of data, including text, audio, and numerical information, Kalita aims to enhance decision-making processes in these domains.

While Kalita’s research has significant implications for the private sector, he is also concerned about the limited language capabilities of current large-language AI models. Most models are designed to cater to English and Chinese speakers, leaving a substantial portion of the world’s population behind. Kalita emphasizes the need for further research into the 50 to 75 other widely spoken languages to ensure AI’s accessibility and benefits for all.

This summer, Kalita is collaborating with nine interns, funded by the National Science Foundation, on various AI research projects. Among them, Naman Chhibbar, a UCCS computer science student, is exploring the use of AI to summarize lengthy documents, while Jeno Saghi, a UCCS master’s degree student, is working on integrating diverse data types to improve weather forecasting and other predictive models.