The Humanities and AI: Critical Conversations

The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing will host The Humanities and AI: Critical Conversations, a three-part conversation series this spring semester focused on generative artificial intelligence and its impact on our land, labor, water, and writing. The first sessions will focus on two recent books about the costs of generative AI: Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI by Karen Hao and Enduring Digital Damage: Rhetorical Reckonings for Planetary Survival by Dustin Edwards. Both are available as eBooks via the UGA Libraries. Conversations are open to all UGA faculty and graduate students and will take place in the Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing, Room 370 of the Miller Learning Center. Light refreshments will be provided for each conversation. Discussions will be facilitated by Dr. Rebecca Hallman Martini, associate professor of English and director of the Willis Center for Writing, and Dr. Elise Robinson, academic professional and program director for the Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies. Guest faculty members will join Hallman Martini and Robinson in conversation for each event. The series is co-presented by the Willis Center and the Willson Center.

Session 1: Discussion of Empire of AI by Karen Hao

Featuring conversation with Esra Santesso, professor of English

Thursday, January 29 @ 3-4:15 p.m. in MLC 370

eBook available here

In Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI, Hao draws from her vast experience as an investigative journalist covering AI since 2019 to provide readers with a detailed history of how Sam Altman’s OpenAI evolved over time. She examines the extraordinary use of resources needed to create large language models along with an enormous amount of data, as well as the exploitation of human workers in the Global South, energy, and water. After a brief presentation of some of the text’s main ideas, participants will explore several guiding questions in breakout groups. While reading the entire text is encouraged, conversation will focus on Chapters 1, 4, 9, 12, 18, and the Epilogue.

Session 2: Discussion of Enduring Digital Damage by Dustin Edwards

Faculty conversation partner to be confirmed

Tuesday, February 24 @ 10-11:15 a.m. in MLC 370

eBook available here

In Enduring Digital Damage: Rhetorical Reckonings for Planetary Survival, Edwards investigates how digital technologies impact our environment with attention to “hidden costs,” the extraction of raw materials, and the disposal of electronic waste. Taking a story-based, digital rhetoric approach rooted in a case studies methodology, Edwards provides a deeper context for the environmental impact of technology that predates GenAI. After a brief presentation of some of the text’s main ideas, participants will explore several guiding questions in breakout groups.

Session 3: Teaching Writing with GenAI, Empire, and Environment in Mind

Featuring conversation with Caroline Young, senior lecturer in English

Wednesday, March 25 @ 11:35 a.m.-12:50 p.m. in MLC 370

In this final session, participants will consider what it means to teach in the age of AI. We will consider a wide range of possible approaches, from critical and ethical use of AI to AI refusal, with a focus on disciplinary roles across the institution. For example, how might teaching with/about AI differ in computer science, public health, environmental studies, and the humanities? Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their own teaching artifacts and analyze examples.