CHAI Internship

CHAI Internship

Applications for 2026 internships are now closed.

This internship is designed for individuals who are interested in research in human-compatible AI. Our internships require a background in machine learning, computer science, mathematics, or related fields. Existing research experience in machine learning is strongly advantageous but not required. We are interested in people who can demonstrate technical excellence and wish to transition to research in human-compatible artificial intelligence. Applicants may include undergraduate or Master's students in computer science or adjacent fields, PhD students/researchers, professional software or ML engineers, etc.

CHAI interns work on a research project supervised by—and often proposed by—a mentor. Most projects are primarily executed by the intern, while the mentor provides advice and guidance; these are typically published as first-author workshop papers. On occasion, a mentor may propose a more team-based project that they or other interns are also executing on; these are typically published as conference papers. In addition, interns are encouraged to participate in other activities in CHAI, such as our weekly seminars, annual workshop and team socials.

All applicants should aim to understand CHAI's research interests before applying. See our mentor profile page for a list of mentors and their interests.

General Information

• Location: In-person (at UC Berkeley) is preferred; remote is possible.
• Start Date: Flexible. We typically hold internships over the summer, but dates are flexible throughout the year and you'll coordinate with your mentor.
• Duration: Internships are typically 12 to 16 weeks.
• Compensation: $5,000 per month for in-person interns and $3,500 per month for remote interns.
• International Applicants: We accept international applicants.

Internship Application Process Overview

The internship application process has four phases. Please note: while we will do our best to adhere to these dates, they are subject to change.

• Initial Review (Phase 1)
• We will examine your application based on motivation, research potential, grades, experience, programming ability, and other criteria.
• We will begin reviewing applications after the application closes.
• Applicants will receive a response by mid October.
• Programming Assessment (Phase 2)
• You will be given a programming test.
• Applicants will receive a response by early December.
• Interview Rounds (Phase 3)
• We typically conduct two rounds of interviews which will occur between late November and mid December.
• We have several mentors who are willing to take on interns. Each mentor that is interested in working with you will contact you to schedule an interview. It's possible that you will speak to multiple mentors.
• Offer (Phase 4)
• Applicants will likely receive offers by mid December.
• If you are given an offer by one mentor, then you will work with that mentor if you choose to take the internship.
• If you are given multiple offers from different mentors, then you may choose the mentor you'd like to work with.
• While our internships tend to begin around May, the start date will ultimately depend on you and your mentor(s). You and your mentor(s) will coordinate when to begin your internship.

*You will hear from chai-internship@berkeley.edu with either a rejection or an offer. If you have not heard, please exercise patience as we carefully review our candidates.*

Contact

• If you have any questions, please contact us at chai-internship@berkeley.edu.
• Everyone is welcome at CHAI. To request accommodations at any point during the hiring process, you can email us at chai-internship@berkeley.edu. We won't ask you to disclose the reason for your accommodation.