Research Intern- AI Ethics
SonyAI · California, United States
- On site
- Full-time
- $104,000 / year
- California, United States
Job highlights
- Conduct AI ethics research in a global entertainment company.
- Focus on generative AI, data, and ethical challenges.
- Collaborate with experienced researchers for publishable work.
- Develop tools and frameworks for AI risk mitigation.
- Gain experience with Python and deep learning libraries.
About the role
About Sony AI America
Sony AI America, a branch of Sony AI, is a remotely distributed organization spread across the U.S. and Canada. Sony AI is Sony’s new research organization pursuing the mission to use AI to unleash human creativity. Sony AI works closely with Sony’s other business units, including Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., and Sony Music Entertainment. With some 900 million Sony devices in hands and homes worldwide today, a vast array of Sony movies, television shows and music, and the PlayStation Network, Sony creates and delivers more entertainment experiences to more people than anyone else on earth. To learn more: https://ai.sony/
About Sony Research Ethics Team
Sony Research is dedicated to driving innovation, advancing technology and ensuring that AI is developed responsibly, ethically, and inclusively. The AI Ethics team focuses on creating frameworks, tools, and methodologies that promote trust, transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI tools and technologies. https://ai.sony/projects/ai-ethics/
Position Summary
We are seeking a motivated Research Intern to join our interdisciplinary team at the forefront of AI Ethics, Safety, and Responsible AI for a 3-month research internship. You will work on open research questions in generative AI, including data collection, guardrails, evaluation, and benchmarking to tackle fundamental ethical challenges that arise when AI is deployed at scale in a global entertainment company. This is an opportunity to conduct meaningful, publishable research in collaboration with experienced researchers and engineers across a globally diverse team. We actively support interns in co-authoring papers and submitting to top-tier venues, making this an ideal opportunity to advance your doctoral research while contributing to real-world impact.
Responsibilities
- Conduct innovative research in AI ethics, including but not limited to data collection, AI evaluation and harm mitigation.
- Contribute to the development of tools and frameworks to assess and mitigate AI-related risks in natural language processing and computer vision, such as bias, privacy, copyright and transparency.
- Improve the performance of open models to detect and mitigate AI harms.
- Set up technical experiments to conduct evaluations of open models.
- Contribute to research with the potential for publication.
Qualifications
- Currently pursuing a degree (PhD preferred) in Computer Science or socio-technical AI topics.
- Strong foundations in AI and machine learning techniques in computer vision or natural language processing.
- Familiarity with generative AI evaluation, benchmarking, red-teaming or guardrail development.
- Experience using Python and deep learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch, HuggingFace Transformers) to develop, fine-tune, or evaluate generative AI models.
- Strong interest in AI ethics and responsible AI development.
- Proven research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Self-motivated and capable of proposing and implementing innovative ideas.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Preferred: Experience with research communities, including having published papers at conferences/journals.
Key skills/competency
- AI Ethics
- Generative AI
- Machine Learning
- Python
- PyTorch
- HuggingFace Transformers
- Computer Vision
- Natural Language Processing
- Responsible AI
- Research
Skills & topics
- AI Ethics
- Research Intern
- Generative AI
- Machine Learning
- Python
- Deep Learning
- Computer Vision
- NLP
- Responsible AI
- Sony AI
- Internship
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight AI ethics, generative AI, Python, and deep learning library experience.
- Showcase research: Emphasize any publications or contributions to research communities.
- Demonstrate interest: Clearly state your passion for AI ethics and responsible AI development.
- Prepare for technical questions: Be ready to discuss AI/ML techniques and model evaluation.
- Network and inquire: Reach out to the hiring manager at *****@sony.com with specific questions.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus of the AI Ethics Research Intern role at Sony AI?
- The AI Ethics Research Intern role at Sony AI focuses on conducting research into open questions in generative AI, including data collection, guardrails, evaluation, and benchmarking, to address ethical challenges within a global entertainment context. The intern will contribute to developing tools and frameworks for AI risk mitigation and improving model performance.
- What are the key technical skills required for the AI Ethics Research Intern position?
- Key technical skills include a strong foundation in AI and machine learning (computer vision or natural language processing), familiarity with generative AI evaluation and guardrail development, and experience with Python and deep learning libraries like PyTorch and HuggingFace Transformers. Experience in developing, fine-tuning, or evaluating generative AI models is essential.
- What academic background is preferred for this AI Ethics Research Intern role?
- The preferred academic background for this role is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science or socio-technical AI topics. A Master's degree or significant research experience in a related field may also be considered.
- What kind of research output is expected from this internship?
- The internship offers the opportunity to conduct meaningful, publishable research. Sony AI actively supports interns in co-authoring papers and submitting to top-tier venues, contributing to both the intern's doctoral research and the company's advancements in AI ethics.
- Is this AI Ethics Research Intern position remote, and where is Sony AI based?
- Yes, this is a remote position within the U.S. Sony AI America is a remotely distributed organization across the U.S. and Canada.
- What is the duration and start date for the AI Ethics Research Intern role?
- The internship is for a duration of 3 months, with a target start date of June 15, 2026, or as otherwise agreed upon with the selected candidate.
- How can I learn more about Sony AI's work in AI Ethics?
- You can learn more about Sony AI's work by visiting their official website at https://ai.sony/ and specifically their AI Ethics projects page at https://ai.sony/projects/ai-ethics/.
- What is the application deadline for the AI Ethics Research Intern position?