Engage in Scholarly Discourse

Overview

There is a recurrent phrase that pops up in almost every discussion of artificial intelligence and ethics: “human-centered AI” (HCAI). It is a term that invites agreement; who, after all, would admit to hoping that AI would develop in a human-peripheral direction?

But the term is so expansive that it is used by a wide range of stakeholders, who may mean very different things when invoking the phrase—from a belief that AI innovation should be throttled to those who want it accelerated—all in the name of being “human-centered.”

This research discussion will unpack a particular approach to human-centered AI developed by Josiah Ober and John Tasioulas. They root their theory of an ethical approach to AI in the work of Aristotle, particularly a concept of AIs as “intelligent tools” that augment human ability rather than replacing humanity altogether.

Ober and Tasioulas will be presenting on their new white paper, released as part of the Lyceum Project, which will be circulated to discussion participants for advance reading. The group will then split into breakout sessions to offer feedback and identify opportunities for new projects and collaborations.

After the breakout discussions, the group will reconvene for final remarks from Alejo Sison, who has published widely on the application of Aristotelian virtue ethics to corporate governance. This event will take place on October 24, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM Eastern Time, and will be hosted via Zoom.

Speakers

• Josiah Ober, Stanford University
• John Tasioulas, Oxford University
• Alejo Sison, Universidad de Navarra

Overview

The Institute for Humane Studies invites faculty, graduate students, and practitioners to join an online discussion of populism and threats to democracy.

Many associate the rise of populism on the left and the right with authoritarianism and threats to democracy. But what do we know about the conceptual and empirical links between populism and threats to democracy, and what questions still need to be answered? How can academics and practitioners collaborate with each other to inform responses to populism in the realms of policy and civil society?

Presentations by John Carey and Tyler Fisher will be followed by breakout discussions where participants can ask questions and network with each other. The session takes place over Zoom from 12:00 to 1:30 PM ET on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

Please come prepared to discuss your current research and share ideas for future academic research, public-facing work, or applied contributions on populism and threats to democracy. If you have research interests in this area, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity

Speakers

• John Carey, Dartmouth College
• Tyler Fisher, Unite America

Schedule

*All times are listed in Eastern Time

Thursday, October 31

11:55 AM | Room Opens

12:00 PM | Opening Remarks

12:05 PM | Presentations

12:30 PM | Discussion

Overview

In collaboration with Stanford University Libraries and Vabamu, the Institute for Humane Studies invites faculty, graduate students, and practitioners to join an online discussion on trust in democratic governments through an Estonian lens. 

Declining trust in government has opened deep social and political divisions within democracies around the world. How can the Estonian experience—including e-governance innovations—help reestablish trust in democratic governments? How can US and Estonian scholars collaborate to generate new research that informs solutions on the ground? 

A presentation by Piret Ehin and Thomas J. Rudolph will be followed by breakout discussions where participants can ask questions and network with each other. The session takes place over Zoom from 12:00 to 1:30 PM Eastern, 7:00–8:30 PM Eastern European Time on November 15, 2024.

Please come prepared to discuss your current research and share ideas for future academic research, public-facing work, or applied contributions on restoring trust in democratic governments. 

If you have research interests in this area, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity.

Speakers:

• Piret Ehin, University of Tartu
• Thomas J. Rudolph, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Schedule

*All times are listed in Eastern Time (US)

Friday, November 15, 2024

11:55 AM | Room Opens

12:00 PM | Opening Remarks

12:05 PM | Presentations

12:30 PM | Discussion

Overview

The firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman at OpenAI in the fall of 2023 kickstarted a new phase in the conversation about the governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

Some who previously believed that corporations could self-regulate their research and deployment of AI changed their minds, calling for more direct government regulation of the industry. However, government regulation comes with politicization, bureaucracy, and potential deadweight losses for innovation.

At a recent conference hosted by the Internet Governance Project at Georgia Tech, scholars explored alternatives to government regulation. Government, after all, is not the only source of governance.

Milton Mueller and Karim Farhat—both from the Internet Governance Project at Georgia Tech—will introduce this proposal and paper workshop, which offers an opportunity for scholars to polish ideas about spontaneous and emergent order in AI governance. IHS will welcome participating authors to apply for grant support for research and publication.

This event will take place on November 21  from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time, and will be hosted via Zoom.

Speakers

• Karim Farhat, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Milton Mueller, Georgia Institute of Technology

Overview

How is the conversation around free trade different in academic and policy spaces?

The Institute for Humane Studies and Stand Together Trust are convening this symposium to explore differences in how free trade and trade policy are discussed within academic circles and policy-making arenas in Washington, DC, and to examine how academics and policy experts can utilize each other’s expertise to advance the conversation on trade.

The program precedes the Southern Economics Association (SEA) annual meeting in Washington, DC. IHS will offer a stipend to offset one night of hotel accommodations for non-local attendees. We encourage you to apply for this opportunity if you have research interests in this area.

Speakers:

• Mayur Patel, Senate Finance Committee
• Scott Lincicome, Cato Institute
• Christine McDaniel, Mercatus Center
• Donald Boudreaux, George Mason University

Schedule

*All times are listed in Eastern Time

Friday, November 22 

11:30 AM | Registration and Coffee

12:00 PM | Welcome and Opening Remarks

12:15 PM | Lunch with Keynote

1:15 PM | Coffee Break

1:30 PM | Panel with Q&A

2:45 PM | Coffee Break

3:00 PM | Breakout Discussion Groups

4:00 PM | Closing Remarks

4:15 PM | Cocktail Hour

Overview

Are you interested in using academic research to give legislative testimony?

Join IHS on December 4 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM Eastern Time as we prepare for next year’s legislative session by sharing best practices and helpful information regarding testifying as an academic. Panelists will include Alicia Plemmons and Joana da Silva-Gonzalez of the Knee Regulatory Research Center at West Virginia University and Meagan Forbes of the Institute for Justice.

The conversation will explore aspects of providing testimony like framing academic research to appeal to legislators, understanding the legislative process, preparing to actually give testimony, and more. The discussion will be followed by Q&A.

Speakers:

• Alicia Plemmons, Knee Regulatory Research Center
• Joana da Silva-Gonzalez, Knee Regulatory Research Center
• Meagan Forbes, Institute for Justice