Joelle Pineau
TL;DR Joelle Pineau is a leading AI researcher known for foundational work in reinforcement learning and for her leadership in advancing responsible, transparent AI development.
Joelle Pineau is one of the most respected figures in artificial intelligence, recognized for her pioneering research in reinforcement learning and her influential leadership across academia and industry. Her work combines technical depth with a strong commitment to openness, reproducibility, and the responsible advancement of AI systems. Through research, teaching, and policy efforts, she has helped shape the direction of modern machine learning.
Joelle Pineau is a professor at McGill University and a key figure in the reinforcement learning community. She co-directs the Reasoning and Learning Lab, where her research focuses on designing algorithms that allow machines to learn from interaction, uncertainty, and complex environments. Her contributions include advances in planning, decision making, and learning systems that operate reliably in the real world.
Beyond academia, she has played a significant role in advancing responsible AI within industry. At Meta AI, she serves as a senior research leader, guiding teams that focus on fundamental machine learning research while promoting transparency and reproducibility. She has been a strong advocate for open science, helping implement practices that support public datasets, reproducible benchmarks, and more inclusive AI development.
Her work continues to influence both scientific progress and the culture of AI research, making her one of the field’s most impactful voices.
Professor of computer science at McGill University, co-directing the Reasoning and Learning Lab.
Pioneering contributions to reinforcement learning and decision making under uncertainty
Senior research leader at Meta AI, guiding fundamental AI research
Major advocate for reproducibility, promoting open science and transparent AI practices
Influential work on planning, robotic control, and real-world learning algorithms
Internationally recognized mentor and educator, shaping the next generation of AI researchers
