AI in the Liberal Arts (AILA) is thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of What AI Means, a new podcast hosted by Amherst College Professor Lee Spector. We’ve been working hard to create this series, which explores artificial intelligence through the lens of the liberal arts.
What AI Means is the podcast that asks scholars and creators about the significance of artificial intelligence for the world as they see it, through the lenses of their disciplines and their expertise. Brought to you by Lee Spector, a professor of Computer Science at Amherst College and the Director of AI in the Liberal Arts.
What AI Means features short, accessible conversations with scholars, artists, scientists, and thought leaders across a wide range of fields. By posing a simple question, “What does AI mean?”, the podcast captures the richness and diversity of thought surrounding AI’s societal, ethical, artistic, and conceptual implications. The series aims to reach both academic and public audiences and to share perspectives from across the liberal arts.
As we prepare to launch, we’re excited to share a preview of the first set of episodes:
- Kristina Reardon — AI & Writing
Senior Lecturer in English at Amherst College, Reardon reflects on how AI is shaping the nature of writing, from creativity to pedagogy. - Eric Sawyer — AI & Theater
Professor in Dramatic Arts (music) at Amherst College, Sawyer discusses AI’s role in performance, imagination, and collaborative creation. - Andrew Dole — AI & Religion
Professor and Chair of the Religion Department at Amherst College, Dole examines how AI intersects with questions of belief, interpretation, agency, and the study of religious life. - Miloslava (Mila) Hruba — AI & Art
Study Room Manager and European Print Specialist at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, Hruba considers how AI is reshaping practices in art-making, preservation, and curation and what this means for artistic interpretation. - Michael Klare — AI & Peace & World Security Studies
Professor Emeritus of Peace & World Security Studies at Hampshire College, Klare discusses how AI technologies are influencing global security, diplomacy, and conflict prevention.
We can’t wait to share these conversations with you and to continue expanding this series with the many perspectives that make the liberal arts so vital to understanding the future of AI.
Streaming SOON on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube, and wherever you get your podcasts!