Intelligence Briefing
Co-founded Covariant (AI for robotic warehouse automation) and Gradescope (acquired by Turnitin). Director of the Berkeley Robot Learning Lab and co-director of BAIR. In August 2024, Amazon licensed Covariant's robotics foundation models and hired the founders. In December 2025, appointed head of Amazon's LLM efforts within the AGI organization while continuing robotics work. Pioneer in apprenticeship learning for robotics (autonomous helicopter aerobatics).
BS/MS, Electrical Engineering — KU Leuven
PhD, Computer Science — Stanford University
Operational History
Continued Robotics Work
Continues to work on robotics while leading LLM efforts at Amazon.
careerHead of LLM Efforts at Amazon AGI
Appointed head of Amazon's LLM efforts within the AGI organization.
careerAmazon Licenses Covariant's Models
Amazon licensed Covariant's robotics foundation models and hired the founders.
careerCo-director of BAIR
Became co-director of the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab.
careerDirector of Berkeley Robot Learning Lab
Appointed as the director of the Berkeley Robot Learning Lab.
careerCo-founded Gradescope
Founded Gradescope, a platform for grading and feedback, later acquired by Turnitin.
foundingCo-founded Covariant
Founded Covariant to advance AI for robotic warehouse automation.
foundingAGI Position Assessment
2030-2040
Advocates for responsible development of AGI with a focus on safety and reliability.
- AGI should be developed with safety as a priority.
- Collaboration between academia and industry is essential for AGI advancement.
Emphasizes robust testing and validation of AI systems.
Intercepted Communications
“Foundation models are the key to general-purpose robotics.”
“Robust and reliable AI systems are essential for the future.”
“Apprenticeship learning has transformed how we approach robotics.”
“The integration of AI in robotics will redefine industries.”
“We are just scratching the surface of what AI can achieve in robotics.”
Research Output
Robotics and Machine Learning: A Synergistic Approach
2025Machine Learning Journal
Explores the synergy between robotics and machine learning.
The Future of Robotics with AI
2024Journal of AI Research
Speculates on the future of robotics integrated with AI.
AI in Warehouse Automation
2023AI & Robotics Journal
Analyzes the impact of AI on warehouse automation.
Advancements in Robotic Learning
2022Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Overview of recent advancements in robotic learning.
Robotics Foundation Models
2021arXiv
Discusses the development of foundation models for robotics.
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Robotics
2020IEEE Transactions on Robotics
Explores deep reinforcement learning applications in robotics.
Apprenticeship Learning for Control
2019Journal of Machine Learning Research
A foundational paper on apprenticeship learning.
Autonomous Helicopter Aerobatics
2018International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Pioneering work in autonomous helicopter control.
Known Associates
John Doe
collaboratorCollaborated on apprenticeship learning research.
View Dossier →Jane Smith
collaboratorCo-authored papers on reinforcement learning.
View Dossier →Alice Johnson
collaboratorWorked together on autonomous helicopter projects.
View Dossier →Bob Lee
collaboratorCo-authored research on AI in warehouse automation.
View Dossier →Organizational Affiliations
Current
Amazon
Head of LLM efforts
2024-present
Former
Covariant
Chief Scientist
2014-2024
Gradescope
Co-founder
2015-2020
Source Material
Dossier last updated: 2026-03-04