Program Overview

The Let’s Talk about Ethical AI program will explore the ethical development, deployment and use of AI. AI can already be found in our search engines, social media algorithms and virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, but how can we make sure this technology is deployed effectively and responsibly on a global scale? 

This program consists of: 

• Three guest speakers 
• A book about ethical AI and machine learning

About the Badge

About the Book

The Let’s Talk about Ethical AI book is Real World AI: A Practical Guide for Responsible Machine Learning by Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger and Wilson Pang. In Real World AI, Rochwerger and Pang explain a practical AI deployment strategy that has been three times more successful than the tech industry average. They also share personal experiences from people who worked on the global AI systems that help run the world. 

About the Speakers

Leading modern security expert Peter W. Singer is one of our guest speakers. Singer is a professor of practice at Arizona State University, a strategist and senior fellow at The New America Foundation, and the author of several books including Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution, which visualizes our AI future, and Likewar: The Weaponization of Social Media.  

Watch the Peter Singer recording.

Our second speaker is Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger, co-author of our program’s book, Real World AI. Rochwerger serves as the director of product at Blue Shield of California, which provides more than 4.5 million Californians with access to affordable health care. She has over a decade of experience in building technical data-driven products and has held numerous leadership roles for machine learning organizations, including director of product at IBM Watson. 

Watch the Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger recording. 

Our third speaker, Jerry Jones, is the chief legal & ethics officer and executive vice president of LiveRamp, a data connectivity company formerly known as Acxiom Corporation. At LiveRamp, Jones is responsible for the legal, privacy, and data ethics teams and leads strategic initiatives.  Jones is also a special advisor to Club de Madrid, a forum of former democratic heads of state, focused on, among other things, the responsible use of AI on the world stage.  Jones also sits on the Business Integrity Leadership Initiative’s external advisory board.  

Watch the Jerry Jones recording. 

How to Earn the Badge

Undergraduate students

Achieve the Let’s Talk about Ethical AI badge by completing the following activities:

• Watch the recording of Peter W. Singer’s speaker presentation and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences). 
• Watch the recording of Jerry Jones’ speaker presentation and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences). 
• Watch the recording of Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger’s speaker presentation on her book, Real World AI, and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences). 
• Optional - Read the book of the semester Real World AI by Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger and Wilson Pang

Graduate students

Achieve a graduate-level Let’s Talk about Ethical AI badge by completing the following activities:

• Watch the recording of Peter W. Singer’s speaker presentation and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences). 
• Watch the recording of Jerry Jones’ speaker presentation and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences). 
• Watch the recording of Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger’s speaker presentation on her book, Real World AI, and write a reflection on main takeaways (a minimum of 5 sentences).
• Read Real World AI by Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger and Wilson Pang and write a reflection on main takeaways 

Community members

Achieve the basic badge by completing these activities:

• Watch the recording of all guest speaker talks.
• Submit key takeaways from each of the guest speaker talks to wcobili@uark.edu (a minimum of 5 sentences).
• Read this semester’s book and submitting key takeaways to wcobili@uark.edu (a minimum of 5 sentences).