Overview

Basis Research Institute is a New York–based nonprofit applied AI research organization focused on discovering the mathematical principles of intelligence and turning them into software. Its products are open-source tools, including the ChiRho language for causal reasoning, aimed at building a universal reasoning engine by combining ideas from programming languages, compilers, databases, and deep learning. It differentiates itself through a collaboration-driven, nonprofit model that targets societal problems and emphasizes open science, probabilistic programming, cognitive science, and computational neuroscience rather than profit-driven products. Its goal is to advance the mathematical understanding of intelligence and provide practical software that helps researchers and policymakers tackle real-world challenges, with projects funded by grants and collaborations including DARPA subrecipient work.