Judea Pearl
Chancellor's Professor of Computer Science, UCLA
About
Judea Pearl is an Israeli-American computer scientist and philosopher, Chancellor's Professor of Computer Science and Statistics at UCLA, where he directs the Cognitive Systems Laboratory. He received the 2011 ACM Turing Award for fundamental contributions to artificial intelligence through the development of a calculus for probabilistic and causal reasoning. His work on Bayesian networks revolutionized how machines handle uncertainty, and his theory of causal inference has transformed fields from epidemiology to social science. He is the author of "The Book of Why: The New Science of Cause and Effect" (2018), which brought causal reasoning to a broad audience.
Key Contributions
- Developed Bayesian networks for probabilistic reasoning in AI
- Created the do-calculus framework for causal inference
- Received the 2011 ACM Turing Award
- Authored "The Book of Why" and "Causality"
- Established the three-level ladder of causation (association, intervention, counterfactuals)
Videos & Interviews
Judea Pearl: Causal Reasoning, Counterfactuals, and the Path to AGI | Lex Fridman Podcast #56
Wide-ranging conversation on Bayesian networks, counterfactual reasoning, and what machines need to achieve true intelligence
Watch on YouTube
The New Science of Cause and Effect
Pearl's talk on how causal reasoning transforms our understanding of AI and science
Watch on YouTube
