AI is becoming ubiquitous. Whatever its arrival portends for our future, whether riches or ruin, it cannot be avoided. The Artifice of Intelligence explores two questions at the heart of a theological response to AI. Is it possible for human beings to have authentic relationships with an AI? How does the increasing presence of AI change the way humans relate to one another? In pursuing answers to these questions, Herzfeld explores what it means to be created in the image of God and to create AI in our own image. It utilizes and expands Karl Barth's relational understanding of the imago Dei to examine humanity's relationship both with AI and, through it, with one another. Barth's injunctions--look the other in the eye (embodiment), speak to and hear the other (communication), aid the other (agency), and do it gladly (emotion)--provide the basis for the main chapters, each of which concludes with a case study of a current AI application that exemplifies the difficulties AI introduces into human relationality. The Artifice of Intelligence concludes with an examination of the incarnation, one that points toward the centrality of embodiment for full relationality.
Join Beatrice Institute and The Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law as Noreen Herzfeld (St. John's University, Theology) shares her research and talks about her new book, The Artifice of Intelligence. Her presentation will begin at 4:30pm, followed by a brief response by John Dolan (CMU Robotics, Principal Systems Scientist). Herzfeld will then welcome questions during a Q and A and end the evening by signing books.
All are welcome to this free event.
This event will be live-streamed—you can register for that stream here.
Our event will be on the 5th floor. If you are driving to this event, you are welcome to park in the Forbes Avenue Parking Garage directly across the street from the Power Center. You can enter the 5th floor of the Power Center directly through that parking garage by taking the garage elevator to the 8th floor and walking across the Skylar Skybridge. On the other side of the skybridge, you will be entering the 5th floor of the Power Center. There will be "Grefenstette Center" signs once you arrive inside the Power Center, and you can follow those signs to the appropriate room.
