May 08, 2024
Public Relations Society asks Krebs Center Executive Director for insight into AI
For its recent program “The Intersection of AI+PR” the Chicago chapter of the Public Relations Society of America turned to Executive Director of the Krebs Center for the Humanities and Professor of English Davis Schneiderman as one of their expert panelists.
The event, held on in Chicago, brought together a group of specialists, including Dr. Minjin Rheu and Dr. Jing Yang from Loyola University Chicago, Zach Tarvin from Golin, Tushar Agrawal from IBM, and Jason Brandt from Stagwell Marketing Cloud's PRophet Suite (moderated by Jacqueline Thomas from South Shore Public Relations). The panelists discussed topics such as the ethics of AI, creatively employing AI for PR, and leveraging AI for ethical productivity. The panel discussion and roundtable session aimed to help communicators understand when and how to deploy AI responsibly in today’s rapidly evolving environment.
Dr. Schneiderman shared insights from his role as Principal Investigator for HUMAN, Lake Forest College’s $1.2 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. This multi-year initiative at Lake Forest College explores artificial intelligence from a humanities perspective, equipping students with the skills to ethically integrate AI into their professional lives while emphasizing questions of justice and equity.
Schneiderman noted that the humanist values we currently hold could give professionals the ability to work with AI, yet we must also prepare for a potential future where those values change and evolve due to the presence of increasingly sophisticated AI models. Schneiderman notes that the implications of AI reach well beyond technology-based disciplines and advocates approaching this technology from multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Schneiderman’s expertise in AI has led to frequent speaking engagements on AI in education and the workforce and recent coverage from CBS2 Chicago. His scholarly work focuses on areas of contemporary interest, including artificial intelligence, copyright and digital plagiarism, remix culture, and technology, and he is at work on several AI-related academic projects.
As AI continues to shape the landscape of communication and media, Schneiderman’s insights and the work being done at Lake Forest College's Krebs Center for the Humanities through the HUMAN grant will continue to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on the responsible and ethical integration of AI for Lake Forest College students and industry professionals.
About the Krebs Center: The Krebs Center for the Humanities is set in an Italianate villa in Lake Forest where the traditional and the cutting-edge converge and where literature, philosophy, history, and the arts are not just subjects of study but also dynamic forces that prepare students to meet an ever-evolving future. The Krebs Center underscores the College’s commitment to paving the way for a future where creativity, critical thinking, and empathy take center stage.