Join the Four Corners AI Conference: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in AI

Join the Four Corners AI Conference: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in AI

November 16, 2024 Catherine Williams - Chief Editor Tech

Since the November 2022 release of Open AI’s ChatGPT, new AI products and services have emerged rapidly. ChatGPT gained 100 million users in two months, a milestone that took Facebook five years. This growth shows the need for discussions about AI’s impacts in our region.

Fort Lewis College (FLC) aims to engage our campus and surrounding areas on important issues. FLC, in partnership with the Economic Development Alliance, will host a free AI Conference on Dec. 6. This conference will focus on dialogue about AI’s opportunities and challenges.

Listening sessions with faculty and staff showed mixed opinions on AI. Employers expect graduates to have digital and AI skills, while faculty express concerns about AI’s role in learning.

AI raises many questions. It can assist in tasks like writing code and diagnosing medical tests but also has issues, such as privacy breaches and harmful content.

The AI Conference offers insights into strategic and operational questions. Attendees can discuss whether competitors use AI, the implications of implementation, and explore the basics of AI applications. The event aims to highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of AI.

Attendees will hear from regional experts about AI’s current and possible impacts. Sessions will cater to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced users.

The conference will help organizations consider how to work with AI. It will be a space for learning and discussion within the community.

Participants will think about how AI and humans can collaborate and when human skills are irreplaceable. Engaging with peers and exploring options will help us move forward intentionally.

The Four Corners AI Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at FLC. RSVPs are encouraged at bit.ly/4CornersAI.

We hope to see you there!

Mario Martinez is the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fort Lewis College. He has held leadership positions in higher education since 2014 and has served as a professor and consultant.