MGA was honored to host Matthew Stepka as the inaugural speaker for the Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture Series. Stepka is a former Google vice president & founder and managing partner of Machina Ventures, an early-stage investment fund focused on enlightened AI (Artificial Intelligence) that amplifies our humanity. His lecture, which took place September 11 on the Macon Campus, focused on how AI is transforming education & the human experience. Earlier in the day MGA students got to meet & talk with him.
Stepka said he is generally an optimist about the net benefits of AI in the educational context, although not dismissive of the potential for harm.
"At this point, it is not controversial to say that AI is a fundamentally different technology and will likely have a profound effect on virtually all aspects of our lives," he said. "Because of its power and broad application, AI cannot be left to the geeks of the world. It is important that everyone has some basic understanding about the technology, how it works at some level and, more importantly, its capabilities and limitations."
The Jennings Family Distinguished Lecture Series is an annual event that will bring high-profile experts to MGA to discuss critical issues in science, technology, politics, industry, and culture prevalent in the nation and region. It was established with the generous support of Genelle B. Jennings and her family.
