PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Alex Pentland

Also known as Sandy Pentland

Alex Pentland is a computer scientist whose work with students spans computational social science, wearable computing, and biometrics. He earned a Ph.D. from MIT in 1982, joined the MIT faculty in 1986, and became academic head of the Media Laboratory. He wrote Honest Signals in 2008 and Social Physics in 2014, and the National Academy of Engineering elected him in 2014. In December 2025 Stanford hosted a conversation about his new book, Shared Wisdom, which describes how digital media and AI can aid human deliberation. As of October 2026 he is a Center Fellow at Stanford HAI and Toshiba Professor at MIT, and he is founding faculty director of MIT Connection Science.

Timeline

  1. 1982

    A doctorate from MIT

    He earns a Ph.D. in computer science, psychology, and AI from MIT in 1982, after a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan.

  2. 1986

    Joining the MIT faculty

    He joins the MIT faculty in 1986, where he becomes academic head of the Media Laboratory. He and his students work across computational social science, wearable computing and biometrics.

  3. 2008

    The book Honest Signals

    He publishes Honest Signals with MIT Press in 2008.

  4. 2012

    A 2012 best-article award

    He receives a 2012 best-article award from Harvard Business Review.

  5. 2014

    Joining the National Academy of Engineering

    The National Academy of Engineering elects him in 2014.

  6. 2014

    The book Social Physics

    He publishes Social Physics with Penguin Press in 2014.

  7. December 2025

    A conversation about Shared Wisdom

    In December 2025 Stanford hosts a conversation with him about his new book, Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI. The book offers insights into how digital media and AI can aid human deliberation.

  8. As of October 2026

    Center Fellow at Stanford HAI

    He is a Center Fellow at Stanford HAI and Toshiba Professor at MIT. He is also founding faculty director of MIT Connection Science, which uses network science to access and change real-world human behavior.

Sources and credits

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  1. Alex Pentland - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Alex 'Sandy' Pentland | MIT Media Lab media.mit.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Sandy Pentland on Social Physics – Social Science Space socialsciencespace.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Two MIT faculty members elected to National Academy of Engineering | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology news.mit.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. National Academy of Engineering Elects 67 Members and 11 Foreign Associates nationalacademies.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Sandy Pentland | Stanford HAI hai.stanford.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI - Stanford Digital Economy Lab digitaleconomy.stanford.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Sandy Pentland - Stanford Digital Economy Lab digitaleconomy.stanford.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  9. Alex “Sandy” Pentland – MIT Connection Science connection.mit.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.