AI progress, possibilities the focus of Sept. 3 campuswide kickoff event

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence tools and technology is reshaping all aspects of life, including in higher education, impacting teaching, learning, research and administrative operations.

To provide an opportunity for The University of New Mexico community to shape how AI will impact the campus, the UNM AI Steering Committee is holding the UNM AI Conversation Kickoff on Sept. 3. Students, staff and faculty are invited to the event that will feature discussions and informational sessions on the current and future use of AI and related tools at AI at UNM.

A variety of sessions and panels will be held beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until 4 p.m. in the Student Union Building Ballrooms.

Registration for the event is now open. For the latest information on the event sessions, go to ai.unm.edu, which will be updated throughout the coming weeks and semester.

"AI is impacting everyone in some way, and the technology is moving fast," said Mark Emmons, chair of the AI Steering Committee and dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences. "Through this launch event, we are eager to bring the campus together to share the progress that UNM has made regarding AI policy and tools. We will also explore some of the important work that is taking place on developing standards, policy and guiding ethical principles around UNM's use of AI. These issues are much bigger than one committee, so we are looking forward to engaged and active participation from all members of the University."

Emmons said this event is the kickoff of a yearlong, inclusive process.

"Fall will focus on campus conversations about teaching and learning, research and scholarship and creative works, and administration and operations; and spring will turn what we decide together into governance and strategic directions for AI," he said.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Rodriguez, who formed the AI Steering Committee earlier this year, will make introductory remarks.

The keynote speaker will be Melanie Moses, distinguished professor in the Department of Computer Science and a well-known researcher on various aspects of AI. Moses will present "Can We Build Trustworthy AI at Scale?" Her talk will explore AI scaling trends and contrast domains where AI has made enormous advances with domains where large-language models' (LLMs) inaccuracies, biases, misaligned incentives and disregard for truth pose significant risks. The presentation will highlight how New Mexico can sustainably power AI and democratize whose interests AI serves and what problems AI solves. There will also be a discussion of whether it is possible to build AI that is both trusted and trustworthy.

Throughout the event, the community will have an opportunity to provide feedback that will guide the University's institutional values, ethics and principles on AI. A section of the Ballrooms will showcase the committee's proposed strategic ethical framework, encouraging attendees to provide feedback and ideas about how UNM can ensure that AI will advance UNM's commitment to promoting discovery, inclusiveness and engagement with our communities.

Following the keynote address, lunch will be provided and table topic sessions will begin around noon. Participants can join one of several tables to discuss key AI topics that will include AI in the classroom, responsible AI use in research, sustainability, privacy and security, and how AI can be used to improve administrative workflow.

A student panel will begin at 1:15 p.m. This panel of graduate and undergraduate students will discuss their own challenges and opportunities of AI in the classroom, as well as the positive and negative impacts it could have in the future.

What does AI have in store for UNM and the world at large? Participants will have a chance to explore that question in an interactive AI futures exercise at 2:15 p.m.

The event will close with a networking reception at 3 p.m., allowing attendees to discuss and connect with others on topics presented throughout the day.

In addition to this event, feedback on AI use and tools is also being sought through a series of surveys. A survey was emailed to staff members this summer. On Sept. 1, surveys for faculty and students will be distributed via email. The feedback will be crucial in informing policies and decisions made on AI.

The AI Steering Committee was charged by the provost earlier this year to provide leadership on issues surrounding AI across academic and administrative units such as university policy, AI use in the classroom, and effective and ethical AI integration in various types of work and research.