Karl Ni

Part-Time Lecturer

  • Recommendation sciences
  • Information retrieval
  • Natural language processing
  • Large language modeling

Karl Ni’s research philosophy centers on the intersection of information retrieval and large language models, with a focus on building systems that operate effectively and responsibly at scale. At its core, his work is driven by a simple yet powerful goal: to surface the right information for people at the right moment — whether or not they are actively seeking it.

  • PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, San Diego 
  • BS in Electrical and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley 

Karl Ni is a part-time lecturer at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, based in Silicon Valley, where he imparts critical knowledge in AI/ML courses such as Data Mining. He is known for creating an engaging and inclusive environment where his teaching style, often punctuated with subtle humor, makes complex subjects accessible and interesting. He is committed to fostering high-potential career paths for students, bringing real-world insights from his professional career into the classroom. 

In his full-time role, Karl is a staff software engineer at Google Search, where he leads teams developing sophisticated machine learning solutions to personalize the search experience. His distinguished career also includes a tenure as a senior manager and Head of Recommendations Sciences at Etsy, as well as serving as the technical director of Lab41, In-Q-Tel.

Ni’s impactful research background includes work at federally funded institutions such as MIT Lincoln and Livermore Laboratories, specializing in signal processing.

  • Multi-platform promotion delivery system: A system that can deliver a high volume of promotions with minimal delay to users across various platforms and at different times.