Experts in artificial intelligence coming to Cameron for its 13th academic festival

Cameron University has announced the slate of guest speakers for its 13th academic festival, "Being Human in the Age of AI," that kicks off later this month and runs through Spring 2027. The impressive roster includes experts and researchers whose work examines the benefits and perils of artificial intelligence.

Speakers' presentations will cover everything from how artificial intelligence is changing the face of modern warfare to how Oklahoma government is using AI to modernize the operations of state agencies, as well as the ethics of artificial intelligence and safety and security risks it poses.

Each speaker will hold a students-only session at Cameron during the afternoon of their visit, followed by a public presentation that evening. Most community presentations will take place in the University Theatre on the Lawton campus. The one exception is an afternoon session with students on Cameron's Duncan campus on Sept. 10, followed by an evening community session at the Simmons Center.

All community presentations begin at 7:30 p.m.

Tai Phan, the first Chief Artificial Intelligence and Technology Officer for the State of Oklahoma, will open Festival XIII on Thursday, Aug. 27, on a topic tentatively titled, "Using Artificial Intelligence to Amplify Human Potential." Phan leads state government's strategy for deploying artificial intelligence and digital modernization across more than 125 agencies, boards and commissions. He oversees AI systems and implementation across public safety, health, transportation and financial services in the state, and is also responsible for establishing ethical standards, safeguards and best practices to ensure transparency and data privacy.

Two presentations are scheduled in September. The first is by former Oklahoma Congressman Brad Carson, who now is president of Americans for Responsible Innovation, an advocacy group promoting thoughtful governance and safety guardrails for technologies such as artificial intelligence. Carson will appear in Duncan on Sept. 10, speaking on "Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence" at the Simmons Center and the CU-Duncan campus.

Angus Fletcher will follow on Sept. 17 to address "What Distinguishes Us from AI" in the University Theatre. A practitioner of story science, Fletcher holds dual degrees in neuroscience and literature. He has published a number of books on his research, which employs a mix of laboratory experiment, literary history and rhetorical theory to explore the psychological effects of different narrative technologies. Part of his research explores why children are more creative than computer AI - and how to use literature, art, and stories to increase innovation, resilience, and joy.

Paul Scharre is the Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security, an award-winning author and a former U.S. Army Ranger. He previously served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he helped draft policy on autonomous weapons. Scharre holds a Ph.D. in War Studies from King's College London and was named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in AI" in 2023. He will speak on "AI and Warfare" during his appearance at Cameron Oct. 29.

Brian Christian is best known for his bestselling books exploring the human and societal implications of computer science and artificial intelligence. His works include The Most Human Human, which explores what communication and language tests reveal about human nature and The Alignment Problem, which investigates the ethics, safety challenges, and moral questions surrounding artificial intelligence. He will speak on "What Artificial Intelligence Teaches Us About Being Alive" on Jan. 27, 2027, in the University Theatre.

Wrapping up Festival XIII will be computer scientist, author and professor Roman Yampolskiy, who is best known as a leading expert in artificial intelligence safety, security and cybersecurity. Founder and director of the Cyber Security Lab, he specializes in AI safety, AI alignment, existential risk, behavioral biometrics, and digital forensics. He is well-known for arguing that artificial superintelligence is fundamentally uncontrollable. His works include Artificial Superintelligence: A Futuristic Approach, Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security and AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable. Yampolskiy will visit campus March 2, 2027.

Cameron's academic festival series began in 1991 and proved to be so popular that it quickly expanded into a regular event held every three years. Each festival explores an academic theme or societal issue through special events and campus activities. While there is no specific model for the festivals, they typically include lectures, exhibits, conferences, symposia, workshops, concerts, exhibits and theatrical productions.

The very first festival focused on the Renaissance. Since then, topics have included globalization, the importance of health, what to expect at the dawn of the 21st century, the complexities of the Middle East, sustainability, and how American identities have changed in recent years.

Festivals have become great opportunities to introduce southwest Oklahoma to famous speakers, and those on the cusp of fame. Past speakers included professor Cornel West, media personalities James Burke, Al Roker, Michele Norris and Fareed Zakaria; Nobel Prize recipients Oscar Arias and Paul Krugman; retired generals Stanley McChrystal and Jack Keane; actor/activist Ed Begley; former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders; author George Will; former U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; and celebrity chef Rick Bayless.

As additional Festival XIII events are developed, they will be posted on the Cameron website. To stay updated on events, please visit https://www.cameron.edu/public-affairs/academic-festivals/festival-xiii.

The McCasland Foundation of Duncan is the primary sponsor of CU's academic festival series. Over the years, financial support has also come from the McCasland/Amquest Bank Endowed Chair, the Cameron University Foundation and the CU Lectures and Concerts Series.

All festival events are open to the public.

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