Highlights from the 2023 Haaga Program: Ramesh Srinivasan and Todd Presner on Generative AI

On Nov. 20, 2023, digital democracy advocate Ramesh Srinivasan and digital humanities scholar Todd Presner joined Huntington President Karen R. Lawrence in a conversation about the rise of generative AI, focusing on the ethical implications of its aggregation of data at an unprecedented scale. The panel addressed issues ranging from algorithmic bias to the question of whether computers can produce original artistic expression, as well as the conditions under which AI technologies can augment human connection, knowledge, and creativity.

View the full program recording

The Paul G. Haaga Jr. Program on American Entrepreneurship was created in honor of former Huntington Trustee Paul G. Haaga Jr. by his wife, Heather Sturt Haaga. The program focuses on an issue close to Paul’s heart, specifically the history and culture of American business, leadership, and innovation.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Ramesh Srinivasan speaks about the intersection of technology, innovation, politics, business, and society. He has been a faculty member at UCLA since 2005 in the Information Studies and Design Media Arts departments. Srinivasan is the founder of the University of California Digital Cultures Lab, which examines the means by which new media technologies impact businesses, economics, cultures, politics, labor, and the environment through collaborations with global partners. He is on the board of directors for Digital Democracy, which works with land protectors in the Amazon and all around the world. He also advises One Project, New Public, numerous members of the U.S. Congress, and global leaders.

Todd Presner chairs UCLA’s Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies, and he holds the Michael and Irene Ross Chair in the UCLA Division of the Humanities. Presner serves as special adviser in the Office of Research and Creative Activities (2018–present). Previously, he was the chair of UCLA’s Digital Humanities Program (2011–21) and also associate dean of Digital Innovation (2018–21). His forthcoming book, Ethics of the Algorithm (Princeton University Press, 2024), addresses the possibility of using computational methods in ethical and humanizing ways.

MORE RESOURCES

• Office of the President at The Huntington: https://huntington.org/office-president
• UCLA School of Education and Information Studies – Ramesh Srinivasan: https://seis.ucla.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-directory/ramesh-srinivasan
• UCLA Department of European Languages and Transcultural Studies – Todd Presner: https://elts.ucla.edu/person/todd-presner/