The dominant narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) has been one of inevitability with a distinct lack of evidence with respect to its efficacy in a wide range of use cases. This workshop will review the building blocks of AI, briefly touching on: the history of the field; how these systems affect our physical, social, political, legal, economic, and information landscape; how these technologies work; and what this means in the context of conducting academic research.
Attendees will be asked to reflect on their own knowledge and experience in conjunction with the information presented to assess whether or not AI has a meaningful place in their work.
Attendees can expect to:
- Understand how and why AI affects larger, societal systems
- Review the fundamentals of how generative AI technologies work
- Explore methods and frameworks of evaluation for AI technologies
Light refreshments will be served.
About our presenter:
Carol Choi, MLIS MSc BA is the Data Reference and Collections Librarian and Liaison Librarian to the Wagner School of Public Administration at New York University. She holds an MSc Built Environment: Architectural History from University College London and an MLIS and affiliated Advanced Certificate in Digital Humanities from Pratt Institute. Prior to her life in libraries, she built a nearly 15-year career leading business development, communications, and marketing endeavors for award-winning, international architecture and design firms in the UK, Canada, and USA. Currently, her work and research focus on data literacy and critical approaches to technology, data search and discovery, the built environment, and artificial intelligence (AI). In early 2024, Carol started the AI Community of Practice at NYU Libraries which provides a forum for library workers across NYU’s global campuses to discuss library-specific AI issues.