On Friday, July 12th, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) held their 48th annual Science and Technology Policy Forum in downtown DC. This year’s theme was “Actionable Insights: Seeding Our Way Forward in AI”. The event was open to AAAS members, fellows, students like myself, and the public, featuring keynote speakers from Microsoft and IBM. Also included were several panel and group discussions on key issues such as racism and bias, security, and accountability. Taken together, this forum brought together industry leaders, researchers and academics, and policymakers to discuss the broad impacts of this emerging technology. You’ve probably heard about AI and may have used ChatGPT before, but do you believe it’s really the future of research and technology?

According to Eric Horwitz, Chief Scientific Officer for Microsoft, use of AI is a technological leap for humanity. He cited several examples of helpful uses of machine learning and generative AI, such as its use in identification of candidate materials for lithium batteries, which saved countless hours and dollars in production. Other exciting uses include using AI to predict protein structure, which could aid production of new COVID vaccinations, or to select antibiotic candidates to fight against drug-resistant bacterial infections. However, important questions were raised in regards to the “AI divide”, meaning that AI is currently only being used in more developed countries, leading to lack of access in lower resourced countries. 

The next panel discussion focused on harnessing the potential and addressing the risks associated with AI technology. We heard from Elham Tabassi (National Institute of Standards and Technology), Fay Cobb Payton (Information Systems and Technology Professor from NC State University, my alma mater!), and Arti Garg (Head of Technology Strategy from Hewlett Packard Enterprise). The importance of data equity was strongly emphasized, as we need more transparency in where data is coming from, what is being used to train models compared to what isn’t, etc. Finally, we discussed the legal challenges to AI policymaking as companies look to the government for responsibility. In summary, this panel discussed that while there is tremendous potential to be had, we must remember that we have the power now to shape its use going forward. AI has seamlessly been integrated into our everyday lives, appearing in Meta and social media, as well as Google, Apple, and other large platforms.

The final keynote Carey lecture was given by Dario Gil, Senior VP and Director of Research at IBM. He also serves as the Chair of the National Science Board, which oversees the NSF. His talk included a history of technological advancements and milestones in the past century, from WWII to present day. His main takeaway was that “technology was the new currency of power, and we must build connections and partnerships between federal, academic, and industry entities to build the future together”. Interestingly, he pointed out the transition from the federal government to business and industry driving R&D efforts in present day. I have personal doubts whether that is a good idea to have cutting-edge technology privatized, but that’s just my two-cents.

Looking to get more involved in science policy? Please reach out to me at swoods21@gwu.edu or visit my previous blog post that provides ample opportunities I’ve found in the DMV. 🙂