Guest: Kevin Brown, associate professor of digital media and performance studies in the College of Arts & Sciences
Episode 2 uses the Mechanical Turk chess-playing machine as a metaphor for the hidden human element within AI systems. The conversation between Schroeder and Brown, chair of the university’s standing committee on AI, explores the relationship between humans and AI, questioning whether we’ve truly “removed the man from the box” when it comes to artificial intelligence. The conversation also discusses the ethical implications of training AI on human data and then treating it as something separate from ourselves. Ultimately, the episode reflects on the idea of co-intelligence and, with the help of Brown’s enthusiasm, encourages educators to view AI as a collaborative tool that can enhance learning when used critically and thoughtfully.