An annual academic conference hosted by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, Absolutely Interdisciplinary convenes leading thinkers from a rich variety of fields to engage in conversations that encourage innovation and inspire new insights.
Connecting technical researchers, social scientists, and humanists, Absolutely Interdisciplinary fosters new ways of thinking about the challenges presented by artificial intelligence and other powerful data-driven technologies to build a future that promotes human well-being—for everyone.
Conference participants will contribute to and learn about emerging research areas and new questions to explore. Each session pairs researchers from different disciplines to address a common question and facilitate a group discussion. By identifying people working on similar questions from different perspectives, we will foster conversations that develop the interdisciplinary approaches and research questions needed to understand how AI can be made to align with human values.
Absolutely Interdisciplinary 2024:
Graduate Workshop: May 6, 2024 (online only)
Main Conference: May 7-8, 2024 (in person only)
The Ian P. Sharp Lecture with invited speaker Beth Simone Noveck: May 8, 2024, 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm (in person only)": “From ballots to bots: AI’s transformative role in democratic societies.”
Venue
Multipurpose Room (MPR - Room W280), Second Floor: Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, University of Toronto. 108 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7
Absolutely Interdisciplinary 2024 Schedule
May 7, 2024: Day 1
In-person at Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus
Sessions will run from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM ET. Exact times will are available on the conference website.
Registration & breakfast
Opening remarks
Session: A world of natural and artificial agents in a shared environment
Lunch
Session: Algorithms to support AI safety cases
Break
Session: Designing human-machine coexistence
Closing remarks
May 8, 2024: Day 2
In-person at Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus
Sessions will run from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM ET. Exact times will are available on the conference website.
Registration & breakfast
Opening remarks
Session: Navigating the AI landscape: Insights from the AI Index Report and Global Public Opinion on AI Report
Lunch
Session: AI and the future of democracy
Break
Session: AI adoption in industry
Closing remarks
Visit our conference website for the full schedule.
Speakers
Huili Chen, Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society (Harvard University)
I. Glenn Cohen, Harvard Law School, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics (Harvard University)
Roger Grosse, Department of Computer Science, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (University of Toronto)
Gillian Hadfield, Faculty of Law, Rotman School of Management, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (University of Toronto)
Peter Loewen, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, Department of Political Science, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (University of Toronto)
Kristina McElheran, Rotman School of Management, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (University of Toronto)
Ray Perrault, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI)
Christy Prada, Future Fertility
Peter Railton, Department of Philosophy (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor)
Harper Reed, harperreed.com
About the Schwartz Reisman Institute
Located at the University of Toronto, the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society’s mission is to deepen our knowledge of technologies, societies, and what it means to be human by integrating research across traditional boundaries and building human-centred solutions that really make a difference. The integrative research we conduct rethinks technology’s role in society, the contemporary needs of human communities, and the systems that govern them. We’re investigating how best to align technology with human values and deploy it accordingly. The human-centred solutions we build are actionable and practical, highlighting the potential of emerging technologies to serve the public good while protecting citizens and societies from their misuse. We want to make sure powerful technologies truly make the world a better place—for everyone.