Hinton and Li headline Who’s Afraid of AI? conference on the futures of intelligence
SRI supported the landmark event as a presenting sponsor, advancing public dialogue on how artificial intelligence is reshaping culture, creativity, and collective imagination. Photo credit: Johnny Guatto
At a time when artificial intelligence is transforming how people create, communicate, and make decisions, Who’s Afraid of AI? — Arts, Science, and the Futures of Intelligence convened artists, technologists, and humanities scholars for a week-long exploration of the social dimensions of intelligent systems. The initiative culminated in a two-day conference at the University of Toronto’s University College (Oct. 23–24), organized by the BMO Lab for Creative Research in the Arts, Performance, Emerging Technologies and AI and co-presented by University College—with the Schwartz Reisman Institute (SRI) as a presenting sponsor.
The conference centred around a joint keynote—the 2025-26 Neil Graham Lecture in Science—featuring SRI Advisory Board member (and 2024 Nobel Laureate in Physics) Geoffrey Hinton, University Professor emeritus of computer science at U of T, and Fei-Fei Li, professor of computer science at Stanford University, and co-director of the Institute for Human-Centered AI.
Hinton, often called the “godfather of AI,” reflected on the escalating power and autonomy of neural networks, warning of the difficulty of maintaining human oversight. Li, widely known as AI’s “godmother,” emphasized that innovation must remain grounded in empathy and human experience: “The measure of progress in AI,” she said, “is not just smarter machines but a wiser society.” Their exchange embodied the conference’s goal—to bridge scientific insight and social responsibility through open, interdisciplinary conversation.
Across multiple panels, participants examined how histories of intelligence shape future technologies and how the arts can challenge solutionist narratives with public-value innovation. Among them, SRI Research Lead Beth Coleman joined the discussion Social History & Possible Futures, tracing AI’s cultural lineage and calling for new ethical and creative frameworks to guide human–machine collaboration.
Beyond the stage, satellite exhibitions, performances, and film screenings extended the conversation citywide.
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