Dr. William Swartout has shaped ICT from its founding to today, advancing AI, education, and human-centered technology. We thank him for his leadership and vision.
By Dr. Randall W. Hill, Jr., Executive Director, USC Institute for Creative Technologies, Vice Dean, Viterbi School of Engineering, Omar B. Milligan Professor of Computer Science (Games and Interactive Media)
After more than two decades of collaboration and friendship, I want to let you know that Dr. William Swartout will retire from his role as Chief Science Officer of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies on February 1, 2026.
Dr. Swartout has been at the heart of ICT since its founding in 1999. As one of our institute’s architects, he shaped the vision of blending cutting-edge technology with human-centered research, and he has guided ICT with insight, creativity, and steady leadership for more than 25 years. His influence reaches far beyond our walls, touching the broader fields of artificial intelligence, computer graphics, mixed reality, narrative science, and learning sciences.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Dr. Swartout has consistently broken new ground. From his early contributions to knowledge-based systems and explanation, to his pioneering work on virtual humans and interactive narrative, he has defined and redefined what is possible. His projects—the Mission Rehearsal Exercise, the NSF-funded museum guides, New Dimensions in Testimony, and the ONR-funded Personal Assistant for Lifelong Learning, among many others—have set benchmarks for innovation and impact. Through these efforts, his work has reached hundreds of thousands of service members and civilians, advancing not only technology but also human understanding.
Most recently, he has helped establish the AI Research Center of Excellence for Education (AIRCOEE), an effort that exemplifies his vision for AI: developing technologies that enhance human learning while preparing society for the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. This initiative stands as a fitting capstone to his career, uniting research excellence with real-world purpose.
In addition to his leadership at ICT, Dr. Swartout serves as co-Director of the Center for Generative AI and Society and as a research professor in the Computer Science Department at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Before helping to found ICT, he directed the Intelligent Systems Division at USC’s Information Sciences Institute. His expertise has also been sought nationally, as a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, the Board on Army Science and Technology of the National Academies, and the JFCOM Transformation Advisory Group.
Dr. Swartout’s achievements have been recognized by his peers around the world. He is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), recipient of the Robert Engelmore Award, a former member of the AAAI Board of Councilors, and past chair of ACM’s Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence (SIGART). His academic path took him from Stanford University to MIT, where he earned both his M.S. and Ph.D. in computer science.
As Dr. Swartout concludes a remarkable 45-year career at USC, his legacy is evident in the thriving institute he helped build, the talented people he has inspired, and the innovations that will continue to ripple outward for years to come. While we will miss his daily presence, we celebrate his extraordinary contributions and wish him every happiness in the chapter ahead.
On a personal note, Bill has been a friend, mentor and sounding board during my years as the executive director. He epitomizes what it means to be a servant leader while at the same time pioneering new research initiatives. I have truly valued him as a team member and colleague. He has left his mark on the Institute and on the lives of many people, including me. I extend my heartfelt gratitude for his service at USC and ICT.
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