Why are we doing this?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming many sectors of the economy, in some cases even faster than experts were predicting just a few years ago.  It offers great opportunities, but also has the potential to be very disruptive, and so it is vital that everyone has access to the knowledge and skills necessary to benefit from the technology.  AI needs to be fostered in a way that makes people’s lives better, and that does not exacerbate inequalities or inequities.  This is an ambitious goal that will require a collaborative and innovative effort from the whole community to accomplish. 

To that end, the Duke AI Health Community of Practice is bringing together representatives from academia, industry, and the Durham community for a roundtable on May 23-24 to discuss the future of AI in work and education.  The purpose of this roundtable is to explore the critical issue of what people need to know so that everyone will benefit from AI and how to make that goal a reality, but also to create connections, build sustainable partnerships, grow the community, and plan for future collaborations.

Contact Information: Shelley Rusincovitch, email shelley.rusincovitch at duke.edu

The goals we suggest for this event

1. Foster new connections and networking with a purpose: connections with other people who can make things happen
2. Generate and develop actionable ideas for future directions and actionable strategies for moving forward
3. Create a common understanding of key principles and issues
4. Make a first step in connecting a community of practice and (we hope) a shared sense of commitment to continued engagement
5. Together, create a learner grid as a tangible output of our time

Day one will focus on big picture discussions of the current landscape in North Carolina, and consensus-building about what we hope to achieve and what our guiding principles should be.  Potential discussion topics include:

• What is the ideal scenario, what is the reality, and where do they diverge?
• How do we fill in the gaps? Where are there opportunities for partnerships?
• What is important to us, and what is not? How should these values inform our activities? 
• What are the short-term and long-term challenges, and how do we meet them?
• What are some potential next steps?

Day two will focus on building out an AI/ML Education Learner Grid for North Carolina.  This learner grid will serve as a guide for structuring AI/ML educational initiatives across a broad spectrum of the population in North Carolina, setting a foundation for North Carolina to lead in AI/ML innovation and workforce development.  Priorities for the learner grid include:

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Promoting cross-sector partnerships to enhance AI/ML education and innovation.
• Diversity and Inclusivity: Ensuring equitable access and representation in AI/ML, reflecting our diverse trainee community and societal needs.
• Practical Application: Focusing on real-world applications of AI/ML in various sectors, particularly healthcare, business, and government.
• Ethical Framework: Integrating ethical considerations into AI/ML education, addressing data privacy, societal impact, and environmental concerns.
• Adaptive Learning: Continuously updating the curriculum to reflect technological advancements and feedback from stakeholders.

This is an opportunity to engage with a diverse group of stakeholders and learn from one another to develop strategies that will better prepare North Carolina for a dynamic AI future.

Spring Roundtable Planning Committee

The idea for this event sprung up informally as a small group of us here at Duke realized how many discussions we’ve been having about how rapidly AI is evolving and how many questions we’re seeing about how learners and the workforce can and should learn about AI.

But this is, of course, a very Duke-centric team of planners!

We hope that if the roundtable feels there’s value in continuing this discussion, the next iteration will be far more broadly representative of the many people and institutions leading the way in this area.

• Chris Lindsell, Duke Health
• Steve Grambow, Duke Health
• Amanda McMillan, Duke Health
• Whitney Welsh, Duke University
• Shelley Rusincovitch, Duke Health/DTCC

With many thanks to our event support team, especially Jonathan McCall, Jessica Johnstone, Angie Thomas, and Seanna Horan.