What is it? How does it work for and against humans?

Envision a future filled with ‘AI.’ What can we expect?

If you can’t attend in person, it will be on Zoom and recorded for the CKCS YouTube Channel.

Trey Conatser, PhD, Director of the University of Kentucky Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT), will be joining us for Tech Night to help us start to understand the extra‐ordinarily complex topic of AI – Artificial Intelligence – and the issues that surround this technology.

He is the ideal person to do this. In his role as director of CELT, he works with university leadership and other stake‐ holders to create effective and engaging learning experiences and elevate the University’s educational mission.

Since the public release of ChatGPT, CELT has led the UK community in professional development, communication, and analysis regarding generative AI in higher education.

Trey serves as co-chair of UK ADVANCE, the University-level task force charged with providing evidence-based recommendations and guidelines for the use of generative AI in education, research, clinical care, and administration.

He has given presentations and workshops on generative AI at national venues and has a forthcoming coauthored book chapter on generative AI and innovative assessment methods.

As the title suggests, Dr Conatser will give us a basic understanding of AI and answer many of our questions and concerns. In talk‐ing about his presentation he explains “that the term “artificial intelligence” was coined in 1956, but it wasn’t until late 2022 that the concept suddenly captured our imaginations and made headlines nearly every day. ChatGPT was the tool that kicked off this new wave of interest, and the technology has developed at a frenetic pace since then.”

He adds, “As of summer 2024, some see a future in which this new kind of AI is built into most aspects of our work and lives, operating as a co-intelligence or digital “agent” that augments our skills, productivity, and outcomes.”

Yet, others warn of the pitfalls of this technology, ranging from the inherent flaws in how it works to issues of accountability and responsible use when it is implemented in real-world scenarios. And, it can be difficult to navigate and make sense of the conversation about AI: how do we distinguish the “hype” from more grounded perspectives, and how do we keep in mind the wide range of agendas that people might have in persuading us about this technology one way or the other?

He explains, “Overall, experts in education, industry, and technology tend to agree on the importance of developing generalized critical literacies around AI—that is, a basic understanding of AI as well as the issues that surround it so that we all can be informed and effective users. Because the technology is still developing rapidly and sometimes unpredictably, we will also consider what it might mean for the future of work, citizenship, and how we interface with and understand the world.”

This is a topic that has been at the top of the wish list. Please join us for an evening that promises to be the start of a journey in understanding AI.

Friends and family are always encouraged to attend at CKCS.

Monday, July 8 at 7 P.M. in person and on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81185707914