What Do We Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence? | Ask Alumni Webcast

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days in entertainment, finance, health care, education and more. Widespread deployment of powerful, fluent generative AI systems has raised new questions about authorship, bias, liability and identity. Let’s talk about how we can make informed decisions about when (and whether) to use this technology, and what we as humans bring to that partnership.

We’ll discuss what AI is, how it manifests in our daily lives and professions, and some common issues. Hear from Special Advisor on AI for OSU Libraries Kiri Wagstaff, Ph.D., an award- winning scientist who worked on Mars rovers with NASA and served as AI Advisor to Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.

About the speaker:

Kiri Wagstaff, Ph.D., is an artificial intelligence researcher, educator and Special Advisor on Artificial Intelligence for the Oregon State University Libraries. She previously served as a principal researcher at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with a focus on deploying machine learning systems that help us explore, understand and learn about the universe. She recently spent a year as an AI subject matter expert in the U.S. Senate through the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship program. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University, followed by an M.S. in Geological Sciences (University of Southern California) and an MLIS in Library and Information Science (San Jose State University). She received the Lew Allen Award for Excellence in Research and two NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medals, and she is an AAAI Fellow. She is passionate about empowering people to make informed decisions about when and how to use AI in their daily lives.