Introducing this year’s 35 Innovators Under 35

Tomorrow’s technologies are being developed today. Every year, MIT Technology Review recognizes young people from around the world who are leading the way through research and entrepreneurship. In this edition of What’s Next in Tech, meet the 35 Innovators Under 35 driving progress toward better health, a more stable climate, and greater equality. 

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Meet the Innovator of the Year

When image-generating models such as DALL-E 2, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion kick-started the generative AI boom in early 2022, artists started noticing odd similarities between AI-generated images and those they’d created themselves. Many found that their work had been scraped into massive data sets and used to train AI models, which then produced knockoffs in their creative style. Many also lost work when potential clients used AI tools to generate images instead of hiring artists, and others were asked to use AI themselves and received lower rates. 

Now artists are fighting back. And some of the most powerful tools they have were built by Shawn Shan, 26, a PhD student in computer science at the University of Chicago. 

Shan played an instrumental role in building Glaze and Nightshade, two tools that help artists protect their copyright. MIT Technology Review has named him as our Innovator of the Year.

Read the story to learn how Shan and his team came up with these tools, their reception, and how he plans to adapt them to other industries such as journalism or gaming.

Explore the full list of 35 Innovators Under 35

This year’s Innovators work in AI, biotech, climate and energy, materials science, and robotics. Here’s what their work entails:

• Artificial intelligence: There’s been a lot of buzz about AI, and these innovators are focused on the fundamentals. They’re figuring out how to improve AI systems or apply this technology to new problems.

• Biotechnology: We still have much to learn about how our bodies and brains work. These innovators are investigating the nature of disease and exploring how technology can help us live longer, healthier lives.

• Climate and energy: To prevent catastrophic climate change, we must decarbonize many parts of the global economy. These innovators are tackling some of the toughest sectors, including air travel and cement manufacturing.

• Materials science: The stuff we use to make solar panels, semiconductors, and medical devices determines much about their properties and performance. These innovators are creating new materials for these and other technologies.

• Robotics: Robots are getting better faster, thanks to generative AI. These innovators are harnessing such advances to make it easier to train robots and teach them about our world.

Explore the full package to meet all 35 brilliant young minds. Keep an eye out for these innovators in the years to come—they’re already making an impact.

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Image: Clarissa Bonet (photo of Shan)