MIT Media Lab

Can we shape dreams in real time?
On view through July 26, check out Hotel Room #2: Communal Dreams!

This collaboration by artist Carsten Holler, dream scientist and CEO of Dust Dream Sciences Adam Haar, and MIT Museum Studio Director Seth Riskin transforms the museum into a living laboratory and a dreamscape.

Drawing on new research from the MIT Media Lab and Harvard, volunteers are invited to fall asleep within the sculpture while synchronized patterns of light, sound, and motion guide their dreams. Targeting the space between wakefulness and sleep, this work urges us to consider what it means to share these experiences in a unique state of consciousness—and shift dreaming from a private to a shared experience.

Witness the study in action at the MIT Museum during this week's final sleep sessions. 💤

Learn more on our website: https://hubs.la/Q04q1vyh0

Photo by Anna Olivella.

On July 18, MIT RAISE, Solve - MIT, MIT For America (PK–12), and Day of AI are hosting “AI for a Better World, presented by Britebound” as part of America's Youth AI Festival.

Students, parents, and visitors from across the country will convene at the MIT Media Lab to hear presentations from five teams whose proposals for using AI in thoughtful, constructive, and community-centered ways focus on health, wellbeing, environmental concerns, and disaster response.

“One of the most exciting things about young people learning about AI is seeing how quickly they begin applying it to the world around them,” says Media Lab Professor Cynthia Breazeal, Director of MIT RAISE and Co-Founder of Day of AI. “These students are demonstrating not just technical curiosity, but creativity, empathy, and a desire to make a meaningful difference.”

Learn more: https://www.dayofaiusa.org/festival/ai-better-world

In a paper being presented at 2026 ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (ACM IUI), Media Lab Professor Pat Pataranutaporn and graduate researchers Sheer Karny and Anthony Baez introduce “neural transparency,” a tool that lets users see how a chatbot may respond before they ever engage in a conversation with it. In MIT News, Professor Pataranutaporn explains what they found during a user study, why the stakes are so high, and what genuinely transparent AI might look like in the future.

“Millions of people are now creating personalized AI chatbots and agents powered by large language models, turning them into collaborators, tutors, coaches, creative partners, and companions through simple text prompts. Yet most people have very little idea how those prompts will shape the AI’s behavior until they begin interacting with it. We wanted to change that,” Professor Pataranutaporn says. “We focused on the design moment because that is where prevention is possible. Today, people often discover problems only after the chatbot has already behaved in unintended ways. Our goal was to move from reactive correction to anticipatory design by helping people identify potential risks while they are still shaping the AI.”

3 Questions: Neural transparency and the future of AI design MIT Assistant Professor Pat Pataranutaporn describes a new interface that lets everyday users glimpse inside an AI's neural network before their chatbot ever says a word.

Congratulations to the inaugural recipients of the 2026 Media Lab + MAS Community Awards!

These awards recognize members of the Media Lab + Media Arts and Sciences (MAS) community who go above and beyond to strengthen our community. Nominations were submitted by MAS students to honor graduating peers and community members whose contributions — both visible and behind the scenes — have fostered meaningful connections, created welcoming spaces, and enriched the student experience.

A committee of student, staff, and faculty representatives from StudCom, the Media Lab Community Working Group, and MAS faculty carefully reviewed the nominations. We were honored to recognize this year's recipients during the 2026 MAS Commencement Ceremony in May.

Congratulations to all of our award recipients, and thank you for the many ways you help make our community stronger, more supportive, and more connected. Your impact extends far beyond this recognition.

Learn more about this year's award recipients here:

ML + MAS Community Awards – MIT Media Lab The ML + MAS Community Awards recognize graduating students and community members who have made meaningful contributions to fostering a supportive, inclusive, …