As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in our daily professional and personal decision-making, critical discussions about its implications are surfacing. These conversations extend beyond just technological advancements, delving into human accountability, ethical governance of AI, and the contexts in which AI use is appropriate.
Seventy years after Dartmouth College hosted a pioneering summer workshop that laid the groundwork for AI, the institution is set to facilitate a nationwide dialogue this fall, addressing key inquiries such as: What elements of responsibility should be retained by humans? What judgments should always be made by people? And who bears the blame when intelligent systems malfunction?
Scheduled for October 29-31, the conference entitled "AI at 70: What Must Remain Human?" will gather experts from academia, industry, government, and the arts.
In addition to discussions, Dartmouth researchers will unveil preliminary results from a comprehensive study analyzing the impact of AI on students’ learning, confidence, judgment, and preparedness for the workforce.
Provost Santiago Schnell commented, "The future of artificial intelligence shouldn't be seen as a phenomenon that merely occurs without our involvement. Choices regarding the development and application of these technologies lie within our hands."
With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the same organization that funded the groundbreaking AI discussions in 1956, this event will closely examine the ethical responsibilities and decision-making challenges evolving alongside advanced AI systems.
Featured speakers include prominent figures such as Mira Murati, CEO of Thinking Machines Lab; Amazon Senior Vice President Peter DeSantis; Alan Trefler, founder of Pegasystems; and digital forensics trailblazer Hany Farid, who returned to Dartmouth this academic year.
Yann LeCun, a leading figure in deep learning and computer vision who was awarded the Turing Award in 2018, will be honored with the AI at 70 Award for his contributions to the field.
Dartmouth President Sian Leah Beilock reflects, “When the original researchers met here seventy years ago, their query was whether machines could imitate intelligence at all. Now, our focus must shift towards ensuring AI complements human judgment rather than undermining it. This dialogue began in 1956, and it is now our duty to sustain it.”
The term "artificial intelligence" was first introduced in the proposal for “The Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence,” drafted by Dartmouth mathematics professor John McCarthy alongside Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester, and Claude Shannon. Today, AI research at Dartmouth spans various disciplines, including healthcare, digital forensics, political polarization, geoeconomics, and climate change studies such as glacial hydrology.
The upcoming conference aims to commemorate this landmark anniversary by fostering conversations on the significance of human judgment, evolving accountability norms, and the responsibilities that both individuals and organizations must uphold as they leverage AI technologies.
Provost Santiago Schnell reiterates, “It’s vital to recognize that the trajectory of artificial intelligence will be shaped by our decisions regarding its development and usage. Educational institutions need to arm students with the knowledge, ethical understanding, and critical judgment necessary for making these pivotal choices.”
Key highlights of the conference include:
- Keynote addresses by Murati, DeSantis, and Trefler. - A discussion on the evolution of universities in an AI-driven landscape featuring President Beilock, Bank of America CFO Alastair Borthwick, University of Delaware President Laura Carlson, and Kristen Ellis from the U.S. Department of Energy. - A panel on international security and AI conflict featuring Sasha Baker from OpenAI. - A forum on AI in the creative arts that includes contributions from Farid, recognized for his work against deepfakes. - A discussion on the ethical application of AI in underserved communities. - A segment on AI's role in medicine and biomedical research featuring Dartmouth faculty.
Professor of Engineering Peter Chin, who is organizing the event, notes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, stating, “This conference seeks to bring together experts from various fields to tackle inquiries that no single discipline can resolve alone. The future of AI will be determined as much by our values and institutions as by algorithms.”
As AI continues to reshape knowledge creation and application, universities must confront substantial questions regarding their roles, according to Chin. “Dartmouth's focus on a holistic liberal arts education creates an ideal environment for engaging in these essential discussions,” he added.
The conference will also feature student involvement through presentations and an AI at 70 Student Hackathon, hosted by Anthropic, where participants will develop solutions that integrate AI with human judgment.
Additionally, an event titled “Clips and Conversations” at the Hopkins Center for the Arts will showcase an interactive AI demonstration along with discussions about AI’s application in the arts, and attendees can enjoy a performance by the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra.
For those interested in participating, registration notifications for the conference will soon be available. Keep an eye out for updates regarding the full schedule of speakers and events as they continue to be finalized.
