"Artificial Intelligence, Human Emotion, and Animated Agents", a talk by Luke Stark
"Artificial Intelligence, Human Emotion, and Animated Agents", a talk by Luke Stark In-Person / Online
Join us virtually or in Dalton 300 to hear Luke Stark talk about the intersection of AI and human emotion.
“Only connect” wrote the British novelist E.M. Forster in 1910 -- and increasingly, we are seeking to connect with or via AI agents. In this talk, I'll argue ChatGPT and similar interactive AI systems, both powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) and not, can be best understood as animations: objects in the the environment onto which humans project qualities like power, agency, will, and personality. Recognizing these characteristics of animation in contemporary AI agents—-including reliance on stereotypes, obfuscation of human labor, and manipulation of an audience's emotions—-can help us both analyze and respond appropriately to interactive AI technologies and the hyperbolic claims of their promoters. I’ll give a brief overview of the history of human fascination with creating artificial beings, describe some of the ways artificial intelligence systems are actually being designed and used today both to connect with humans and to connect them, and speak about the ethical and social impacts these technologies are having on our everyday lives. In doing so, I aim to separate the hype from the reality around artificial intelligence, and focus on how and why the idea of connecting with artificial beings is both compelling and ultimately dangerous.
This is a hybrid event: Professor Stark will be joining us via Zoom and speaking starting at 4:15 PM. The in-person gathering with refreshments will be held in Dalton 300 from 4:00 PM. This event is funded by a Digital Bryn Mawr Project Grant and organized by the Data Science Program, the History Department, and LITS.
- Date:
- April 10, 2025
- Time:
- 4:00pm - 5:45pm
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Dalton 300
- Host:
- Library & Information Technology Services
- Online:
- This is an online event.
- Event URL:
- https://brynmawr-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/iXetW8cXQySdNNXXGUwVzA#/registration
- Audience:
- Public
- Categories:
- Digital Scholarship Lecture Webinar