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In late November, faculty, staff, and students from across MIT participated in MIT Generative ai Week. Programming included a full-day flagship symposium, as well as four topic-specific symposiums, all aimed at fostering a dialogue on the opportunities and potential applications of generative ai technologies across a wide range of disciplines.
“These events are an expression of our conviction that MIT has a special responsibility to help society confront the tectonic forces of generative ai: understand its potential, contain its risks, and harness its power for good,” said the president. from MIT, Sally. Kornbluth, in an email announcing the week of programming earlier this fall.
Activities during MIT Generative ai Week, many of which are available to view on YouTubeincluding:
MIT Generative ai Symposium: Shaping the Future
The week began with a flagship symposium, MIT Generative ai: Shaping the Future. The full-day symposium featured welcoming remarks from Kornbluth and two keynote speakers. The morning's keynote speaker, Professor Emeritus Rodney Brooks, co-founder of iRobot, former director of the Computer Science and artificial intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), and founder and CTO of Robust.ai, spoke about how robotics and Generative ai. The afternoon's keynote speaker, renowned artist and media director Refik Anadol, discussed the interplay between generative ai and art, including approaches towards data sculpture and digital architecture in our physical world.
The symposium included panels and roundtables on topics such as the foundations of generative ai; Science fiction; Generative ai applications; and Generative ai, ethics and society. The event concluded with a performance by saxophonist and composer Paul Winter. It was chaired by Daniela Rus, Andrew (1956) and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and director of CSAIL, and co-chaired by Cynthia Breazeal, dean of digital learning at MIT and professor of computer arts and sciences. media. , and Sertac Karaman, professor of aeronautics and astronautics and director of the Information and Decision Systems Laboratory.
“Another Body” Projection
The first day of MIT Generative ai Week concluded with a special screening of the documentary “Another Body.” The SxSW Special Jury Prize-winning documentary follows a college student's search for answers and justice after she discovers deepfake pornography of herself circulating online.
After the viewing, there was a round table in which the film's editor, Rabab Haj Yahya, participated; David Goldston, director of MIT's Washington office; Catherine D'Ignazio, associate professor of planning and urban sciences and director of the Data + Feminism Lab; and MIT third-year student Ananda Santos Figueiredo.
Generative ai + Education Symposium
Drawing from MIT's broad community of faculty, research staff, students, and colleagues, the Symposium on Generative ai + Education offered thought-provoking keynotes, panel discussions, and live demonstrations of how generative ai is transforming the experience. of learning and teaching practice from K-12. , post-secondary education and improving workforce skills. The symposium included a fireside talk titled “Will Generative ai Transform Learning and Education?” as well as sessions on the student experience, teaching practice, and MIT's big ideas.
This half-day symposium concluded with an innovation showcase where attendees were invited to engage directly with demonstrations of the latest in MIT research and ingenuity. The event was co-chaired by Breazeal and Christopher Capozzola, senior associate dean for open learning and professor of history.
Generative ai + Health Symposium
The Generative ai + Health Symposium highlighted ai research focused on the health of people and the health of the planet. The conversations illustrated advances in molecular design and sensing applications to improve human health, as well as work to improve climate change projections, increase efficiency in mobility, and design new materials. A roundtable of six researchers from across MIT explored the anticipated impacts of ai in these areas.
This half-day symposium was co-chaired by Raffaele Ferrari, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Oceanography in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and director of the Atmospheres, Oceans and Climate Program; Polina Golland, Sunlin and Priscilla Chou Professor in the Department of EECS and CSAIL principal investigator; Amy Keating, professor of biology Jay A. Stein, professor of biological engineering and head of the Department of Biology; and Elsa Olivetti, Jerry McAfee Professor (1940) of Engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, associate dean of engineering, and director of the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium.
Generative ai + Creativity Symposium
At the Generative ai + Creativity Symposium, expert faculty, researchers, and students from across MIT explored questions that look toward the future and imagine a world where ai-enhanced generative systems and techniques improve the human condition. Topics explored included how human and ai systems combined could make more creative and better decisions than either alone; how lifelong creativity, fostered by a new generation of tools, methods and experiences, can help society; imagine, explore and implement a more joyful, artistic, meaningful and equitable future; how to make ai readable and trustworthy; and how to engage an unprecedented combination of diverse stakeholders to inspire and support creative thinking, expression and computing that empowers all people.
The half-day symposium was co-chaired by Dava Newman, Apollo Professor of Astronautics and director of the MIT Media Lab, and John Ochsendorf, Class of 1942 Professor, professor of architecture and civil and environmental engineering, and founding director. from MIT Morningside Academy of Design.
Symposium on Generative ai + Impact on Commerce
The Generative ai + Impact on Commerce Symposium explored the impact of ai on management practice. The event featured a selected group of MIT researchers; policymakers are actively working on legislation to ensure that ai is implemented in a way that is fair and healthy for the consumer; venture capitalists investing in cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology; and private equity investors seeking to use artificial intelligence tools as a competitive advantage.
This half-day symposium was co-chaired by Vivek Farias, Patrick J. McGovern Professor (1959) at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Simon Johnson, Ronald A. Kurtz Professor (1954) of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Management.
