We study how AI systems reason, persuade, inherit cultural assumptions, and act in settings where human judgment matters. Our work tests models, compares governance systems, and develops methods for archives and cultural data.
Human-Centered AI Lab, Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Katherine Elkins and Jon Chun. It gives research teams a practical home for grants, shared tools, and collaboration outside any single university.
The questions that animate our work are old ones: what kind of minds we are building, whose traditions they carry, and what they mean for human flourishing.
Origins. The educational work began in the Integrated Program in Humane Studies at Kenyon College, where Elkins and Chun developed a human-centered AI curriculum in 2016. They organized the Lab in 2023; it incorporated in Ohio in March 2026 and received IRS recognition that June.
Current research. Elkins and Chun lead the Modern Language Association team in NIST CAISI, studying language-model behavior and evaluation. They also lead Archival Intelligence, a Schmidt Sciences HAVI initiative for endangered cultural archives.
Institutional clarity. Kenyon College is the founders’ academic affiliation and administers some awards. Humane Studies is a Kenyon academic program. Archival Intelligence is a distinct research initiative. The Human-Centered AI Lab is governed by its own board.
Legal status. Human-Centered AI Lab, Inc. is an Ohio nonprofit and IRS-recognized public charity. Donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law. EIN: 41-4616677. Contact us for due diligence or partnership inquiries.