WHAT’S HAPPENING
Here’s what we’re thinking about, talking about, and working on at the Schwartz Reisman Institute.
Research led by Nicolas Papernot shows that AI worm could target any online device
A team of researchers at the University of Toronto, including SRI Faculty Affiliate Nicolas Papernot, has discovered a new class of cyberthreat that gives hackers more power and reach at far less cost. It can be built with free AI models.
Seeking alignment: What religion can teach us about the past and future of AI
As part of the programming for the Department for the Study of Religion’s 50th anniversary, SRI co-hosted an interdisplinary panel of scholars working in the study of religion, history of science, media theory, and computer science to consider how the religious pasts of AI shape the foretelling of its future.
Absolutely Interdisciplinary 2026 explores AI’s social, cognitive, and political dimensions
SRI’s annual conference explored how increasingly capable AI systems are reshaping public discourse, institutional trust, and the boundaries between technical systems and social life.
Absolutely Interdisciplinary 2026 explores AI’s expanding role across society
The Schwartz Reisman Institute’s annual academic conference Absolutely Interdisciplinary explores interdisciplinary approaches to AI governance, risk, and safety on May 13, 2026, at U of T’s Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus. Registration is now open.
When the algorithm is wrong: A new partnership calls out racism in AI systems
A new partnership co-led by Karina Vold is confronting racism in AI systems—highlighting how tools like facial recognition and LLMs disproportionately harm Black and racialized communities, and calling for greater public awareness and equitable governance of AI in Canada.
AI and digital innovation needs science too
SRI Executive Director Monique Crichlow argues that Canada’s global AI leadership depends on sustained investment in fundamental research, interdisciplinary science, and thoughtful governance to ensure AI advances serve the public good, not just short-term economic growth.
SRI Seminar Series resumes with leading scholars on AI, governance, and society
The SRI Seminar Series continues in winter 2026 with leading scholars examining AI governance, democratic values, and human-centred technology in the public interest.
Geoffrey Hinton and Jeff Dean in conversation: Recorded live at NeurIPS
A new Radical Talks podcast episode features Geoffrey Hinton and Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean in a live conversation recorded at NeurIPS 2025, reflecting on the past, present, and future of artificial intelligence—alongside the announcement of the new Hinton Chair at the University of Toronto.
Hinton and Li headline Who’s Afraid of AI? conference on the futures of intelligence
AI visionaries Geoffrey Hinton and Fei-Fei Li headlined Who’s Afraid of AI?, a landmark University of Toronto conference exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping culture, creativity, and collective imagination. Presented in part by the Schwartz Reisman Institute, the event brought together artists, technologists, and scholars to envision more human-centered futures of intelligence.
The big picture of dangerous capability evaluations: David Duvenaud at the Seminar Series
How can we stay in control when AI systems surpass human intelligence? In a recent SRI Seminar, Schwartz Reisman Chair David Duvenaud explored the frontier of AI safety, alignment, and governance, introducing new research on “dangerous capability” evaluations and control protocols designed to detect when AI models become too powerful to oversee.
University of Toronto team discovers vulnerability at hardware-software boundary in cloud systems
SRI Director David Lie and collaborators have discovered a security flaw in AMD’s cloud protection technology, revealing how interactions between hardware and software can expose sensitive data.
Future Votes: Safeguarding elections in the digital age
In October 2024, the SRI co-hosted a half-day event with The Dais and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst to address election integrity, cyber security, and disinformation in the age of AI. The result was The Future Votes report, a reflection of key insights and recommendations for policymakers on how we can practically protect our democratic elections.
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