IN PERSON: Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are evolving at astonishing speed, reshaping many aspects of everyday life. This course begins with a brief overview of how AI developed and what has led to today’s breakthroughs. We will explore current examples of advanced systems — such as chatbots like ChatGPT and tools that generate images and videos — and examine how their capabilities have expanded in just the past couple of years. We’ll also discuss the growing societal impact of these technologies, including their influence on education, the job market, law and efforts to regulate them. In addition, we’ll look at the surprising progress of prototype robots designed for use in households, sports and other areas. Participants will gain a clear understanding of where AI and robotics stand today, the major questions they raise and what changes we can expect in the near future. This is an overview and discussion course, not a technical "how to" program. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 50.
Location: Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Rd, Durham NC 27705
John Prager, Ph.D., recently retired from a career in AI research at IBM. John has built many intelligent systems over the last 50 years, including the Watson system that won on "Jeopardy!" in 2011. He has known many of the pioneers of the field. John has degrees in AI, computer science and mathematics from the University of Cambridge and the University of Massachusetts, and has about 100 publications, including books, research papers and patents. John has taught six prior courses at OLLI.