Open Access Week panel to discuss Future of AI

WSU Libraries and the Professional Development Initiative will sponsor an Oct. 30 International Open Access Week panel of experts to discuss the various applications of artificial intelligence, its impact on community understanding, and its potential in shaping our future.

Only offered over Zoom, "Community over Commercialization: A Conversation about the Future of AI" runs from 10-11 a.m. and is free for WSU graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff. More information and a registration link can be found on the Graduate School website.

Panelists are:

• Samantha Noll, associate professor and Elma Ryan Bornander Honors Chair Professor in the WSU School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs. Noll publishes widely on food justice and food sovereignty, local food movements, and the application of biotechnologies in food production. Her latest book, "Ethical Omnivores: Better Eating for Everyone," will be published this February.
• Alex Williams Kirkpatrick, a WSU social scientist studying science, health, and risk communication; climate and environmental communication; and public understanding of AI. Their research encompasses STEM information and misinformation sharing online, the diffusion of scientific innovations, and media psychology. Kirkpatrick is part of the WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources and the AI Institute for Transforming Workforce and Decision Support.
• Emily LaRosa, a doctoral student in philosophy at Michigan State University whose area of concentration includes AI and society. LaRosa works with growers, farmers, and developers on sharing appropriate levels of information surrounding agricultural AI systems. She recently started a new position as adjunct professor at San Diego State University.

WSU Scholarly Communication Librarian Talea Anderson said WSU Libraries and PDI chose the panel topic to coincide with this year's Open Access Week theme, "Community over Commercialization," an opportunity to prioritize approaches to open scholarship that serve the best interests of the public and the academic community.

"I would say that this theme encourages us to consider the consequences of having AI monopolized by a small number of corporations," Anderson said. "The consequences could be vast, including challenges to intellectual property, exploitation of already marginalized communities, and more."

As AI becomes increasingly prevalent and accepted in society, particularly in everyday learning applications and academic institutions, it is imperative to address and confront the various underlying issues surrounding AI and large language models (LLMs)-computational models capable of language generation or other natural language processing tasks, said Sydnee Schwendeman, PDI graduate assistant and a WSU doctoral candidate studying the ethics of emerging technologies.

In ongoing efforts to promote and improve access to vital resources and bridge the digital divide, open discussions like these are driven by the urgent need for equitable and ethical use of AI, Schwendeman said. AI proponents must actively engage with their communities and showcase the ethical applications of AI within society.

Ultimately, the future of AI depends not only on the equitable use of LLMs, but also on the sustainable development of emerging technologies, which includes recognizing the potential environmental impact of such developments.

"AI ought to be used to enhance and augment the human experience rather than replace the human element. Otherwise, there is a risk that AI will be monopolized and overshadow the importance of human efforts and engagement," she said. "Our ultimate objective with this event is to instill a deeper understanding of the importance of constantly pushing towards bettering and enhancing the human experience while expressing the most effective methods of integrating these advancements into our daily routines in meaningful, advantageous, and inclusive ways for all individuals."