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Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities

AI and the Human Seminar Information

RPW Seminar: AI and the Human: Graduate & Faculty Seminar Series

Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities | Vanderbilt University

🌍 About the Seminar

AI and the Human Seminar aims to explore the philosophical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on our understanding of intelligence and the human condition, focusing on redefining AI’s impact on the humanities. It will continue to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars, addressing questions about AI’s challenge to traditional intelligence, ethical considerations, and the humanities’ role in AI discourse. Sessions of this monthly seminar will combine in-depth reading discussions and presentations by leading experts in AI ethics. This seminar seeks to advance interdisciplinary research and enhance understanding of AI’s impact on research and teaching while fostering a community of scholars dedicated to examining the ethical and philosophical dimensions of AI. To help us feed original, deep, and unique conversations, we strongly encourage members of diverse academic departments and community leaders to attend. For upcoming speakers, resources, and more information, visit our website.

Format: Each session runs from 12:15–1:30 PM and includes a speaker presentation, moderated Q&A, and open discussion. Snacks provided.

🔎 Focus and Aims

By participating, you will:

  • Engage with leading scholarship on AI and society from diverse academic fields.
  • Develop conceptual frameworks for analyzing AI’s social, cultural, and ethical dimensions.
  • Examine challenges and opportunities created by AI across different sectors and communities.
  • Build collaborative relationships with peers and invited scholars.
  • Explore how humanities perspectives can enrich AI research and governance.

🎙️Seminar Schedule

  • September 15, 2026
  • October 20, 2026
  • November 17, 2026
  • December 1, 2026
  • January 19, 2027
  • February 16, 2027
  • March 16, 2027
  • April 13, 2027

Past contributors have included:

  • Jenny Davis (Vanderbilt University) and Alyssa Wise (Vanderbilt University) – Wrap-up Session
  • Ting-An Lin (University of Connecticut) – Structural Injustice and Algorithmic Bias
  • Peter Railton (University of Michigan) – Real Ethics for Artificial Agents
  • Risto Miikkulainen (University of Texas at Austin) – Cognizant
  • Jeff Sebo (New York University) – Moral Status and AI Welfare
  • Naomi Smith (University of the Sunshine Coast) – AI and Aesthetic Alienation: The Image and Creativity in Contemporary Culture
  • Laura Stark (Vanderbilt University) – Ethics of AI and the Environment
  • Gabrielle Johnson (Claremont McKenna Collge) – Bias and Proxy Problems
  • John Tasioulas (Oxford University) – AI Ethics and Human Rights
  • Sina Fazelpour (Northeastern University) – Accuracy and Interpretability
  • David Chalmers (NYU) – Consciousness and AI
  • AnaĂŻs Nony (Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study) – Algorithms and Human Experience
  • John Basl (Northeastern University) – Ethics of AI Decision-Making
  • Kate Vredenburg (LSE) – Justice and Explainability in AI
  • David Thorstad & Jesse Spencer-Smith (Vanderbilt University) – Future of AI

đź“š Thematic Areas

The seminar series explores key intersections between AI and human experience across:

  • Ethics & Philosophy – Moral frameworks for AI development, questions of consciousness and moral standing
  • Law & Governance – Regulatory approaches to AI and legal frameworks for accountability
  • Social Justice & Equity – AI’s impact on marginalized communities and bias in algorithmic systems
  • Culture & Society – AI’s transformation of human practices, meanings, and social relationships
  • Environment & Sustainability – The environmental costs of AI systems and sustainable approaches
  • Future Directions – Emerging trends and the long-term trajectory of human–AI coexistence

🔧 Resources & Support

Participants will have access to:

  • Curated Materials – key readings, podcasts, and multimedia resources
  • Technical Tools – access to Vanderbilt’s AI platforms for hands-on practice
  • Research Opportunities – collaboration with visiting speakers and peers

✨ Organizers