During AAAI 2026, Ashok Goel received one of the field’s highest honors when he was named the 20th recipient of the AAAI Robert S. Engelmore Memorial Lecture Award, sponsored by the Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence (IAAI) conference and AI Magazine.

Established in 2003, the Engelmore Award recognizes individuals who demonstrate excellence in AI scholarship, impactful applications of artificial intelligence, and extraordinary service to the AI community. The award honors the legacy of Robert S. Engelmore for his contributions to AAAI, AI Magazine, and the applied AI community.

Goel was recognized for his pioneering research in biologically inspired design, case-based reasoning, and AI-enabled virtual teaching, as well as for his extensive service to AAAI, including his tenure as Editor in Chief of AI Magazine. His work has significantly influenced how AI systems reason, learn from experience, and support human learning in real-world contexts.

As part of the honor, Goel delivered the Robert S. Engelmore Memorial Lecture at IAAI-26 in Singapore, held January 22–25, 2026. His lecture, presented on Saturday, January 24, highlighted key ideas from his career and reflected on the evolution and future of applied artificial intelligence. A companion article documenting his contributions is forthcoming in AI Magazine.

The award ceremony took place alongside Goel’s broader participation at AAAI 2026, including his talk on AI for reskilling, upskilling, and workforce development and the submission of a related research paper on metacognitive architectures for correcting errors in LLM-based AI agents. Together, these moments marked a significant milestone in a career dedicated to advancing responsible, human-centered AI.