Annual Spring Teaching Symposium

Keynote Presentation: Generative Artificial Intelligence and Higher Education

Description: “In the past 24 months, one of the most pressing conversations in the US (and, frankly, everywhere else in the world) has been about the emergence and implications of a technology called “generative artificial intelligence,” or “GenAI.” While this technology is not new, its widespread adoption and use have created a fervor and, in some cases, panic over its implications for the way we work, communicate, and live. It is no surprise, therefore, that nearly every college in the country is currently reimaging higher education in an effort to leverage the power of GenAI – and to preserve relevant aspects of traditional academic practices and values. From defining and integrating “AI literacies” across curricula to rethinking the fundamentals of what and how we teach, educators are confronting a host of thorny questions about the relationships between technology, knowledge, and human intelligence – all of which are emerging amidst rapid student adoption and use. This presentation will begin to demystify many of these emerging technologies and will address many of the concerns educators have expressed regarding AI and GenAI technologies in order to provoke conversations about the relationship between AI/GenAI and the traditions and objectives of higher education.”

Sid Dobrin, Chair of the University of Florida’s English department, is the Founding Director of the Trace Innovation Initiative at UF and has been named a Digital Thought Leader by Adobe. He serves as a member of the Florida Institute for National Security, part of the University of Florida’s AI Initiative, and he serves as a member of the Florida AI Learning Consortium (FALCON) Steering Committee.  He is the author and editor of numerous books and articles, including Talking about Generative AI: A Guide for Educators, AI and Writing, and the forthcoming collection AI and the Humanities. His current research project examines enduring questions motivated by AI. In addition to his work in Digital Humanities, he is prolific in writing about Environmental Humanities, specifically focused on Blue Ecocriticism and Blue Humanities.