Casper College will take a critical look at Artificial Intelligence during public seminar

Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author A.J. Juliani is coming to Casper College to speak on the subject of artificial intelligence.

The seminar is free and open to the public. It takes place Wednesday, Sep. 20, in the Wheeler Concert Hall of the campus Music Building.

The theme of the event is: 'AI: A Fork in the Road, Navigating Turns in the Tech.'

Things kick off at 8:55 a.m. with a welcome followed at 9 a.m. with talks from political science instructors Nathan Blank and Daniel Gallegos.

At 9:30, Heather Lloyd, criminal justice instructor, and Amanda Nelson, paralegal instructor, will present “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Questions of Legal Liability for AI-Generated Content.” “The American legal system seeks to hold wrongdoers accountable when their actions cause harm to others.,” said Lloyd. “But who is legally responsible for the “conduct” of artificial intelligence?” asked Nelson.

Kristina Pham, psychology instructor, will present a talk titled “Did You Say Please and Thank You to Alexa?” at 10 a.m. Pham will discuss the field of humane education, which draws connections between human rights, animal protection, and environmental sustainability. “Humane education seeks to create solutionaries who identify inhumane, unsustainable, and unjust systems and then develop healthy and equitable solutions for people, animals, and the environment,” said Pham.

At 10:30, John Ordiway, psychology instructor, and Weigel will look at “Let’s Hack Back: A Personal Algorithm for Success.” “The fields of psychology and communication often overlap because how we feel and behave is often influenced by the buffet of information we choose to consume, as well as the messages we are force-fed,” said Weigel. “Even in a world flooded with constant messaging, we have the ability to hack our own brains and stay focused on the priorities of the moment,” said Ordiway, adding, “In doing so, we can connect more meaningfully in our digital world.”

Keynote speaker Juliani will speak at 11 a.m. about how artificial intelligence can provide a new avenue for creative work and learning and how this process can empower anyone to do remarkable work.

The seminar will break for lunch at noon and return at 1 p.m. for “Living Room Conversations,” featuring guided discussions on specific topics that facilitate the connection between people despite their differences in age, politics, gender and/or nationality. “By listening to one another, people can identify areas of common ground and shared understanding no matter the subject. The end result is revitalized civil discourse across America,” Weigel said.

The Casper College Forensics team will host a debate at 5:15 on the seminar’s theme, and the keynote speaker will follow at 6 p.m.

For more information, contact Weigel at brianne.weigel@caspercollege.edu.