Symposium on AI, Free Speech and Human Rights

Symposium Schedule

Attendees will have the opportunity to gain insights from thought leaders through keynote addresses, engaging panels and informative presentations.

*Schedule is subject to change.

Thursday, Oct. 12 - The John Seigenthaler Freedom Forum First Amendment Center

 

  • 9–9:10 a.m.: Welcome – Jacob Mchangama, Executive Director, The Future of Free Speech project
  • 9:10–9:20 a.m.: Opening Remarks from Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University
  • 9:25–10:25 a.m.: Panel No. 1: The First Amendment, Human Rights Standards and AI Governance
    • This session will explore the intersection of AI technology, the First Amendment and human rights standards, aiming to foster a nuanced understanding of the legal and ethical implications.
    • Panelists:
      • Alexandria Walden, Google Policy Lead for Global Human Rights and Free Expression
      • Eugene Volokh, Professor, UCLA Law School 
      • Joan Barata, Senior Legal Fellow, Justitia/Future of Free Speech Project 
      • Moderator: Jacob Mchangama, Executive Director, Justitia and Future of Free Speech Project 
  • 10:25 a.m.-10:35 a.m. – BREAK
  • 10:35 a.m.–11:35 a.m.: Panel No 2: Improving Linguistic Inclusion in Large Language Models
    • This panel will address the importance of inclusivity in AI models, specifically focusing on incorporating smaller languages outside the Western world to promote linguistic diversity and cultural representation.
    • Panelists:
      • Gabriel Nicholas, Research Fellow, Center for Democracy and Technology
      • Irene Mwendwa, Executive Director, Pollicy
      • Julie Owono, Executive Director, Internet Without Borders
      • Moderator: Jesse Spencer-Smith, Interim Director and Chief Data Scientist, Vanderbilt University Data Science Institute
  • 11:40 a.m.–12:15 p.m.: Presentation by OpenAI
    • Kim Malfacini, The Multi-Modal Future of Generative AI
  • 12:15 p.m.–1:15 p.m.: BREAK FOR LUNCH
  • 1:15 p.m.–2:05 p.m.: Fireside Chat with David Graff - vice president, Global Policy and Standards, Google  
  • 2:05 p.m.–2:15 p.m.: BREAK
  • 2:15–3:15 p.m.: Panel No. 3: The Future of AI: Open-source or Centralization?
    • The discussion will delve into the merits and drawbacks of open-source AI models, advocating for collaboration, transparency and democratization of AI innovations versus centralized approaches that prioritize control, security and efficiency. The panel will thoughtfully consider the implications of these two paradigms regarding freedom of expression, considering how open-source AI can empower individuals and communities to express themselves while guarding against the potential risks of centralized control over information.
    • Panelists:
      • Kim Malfacini, Open AI Product and Policy Analyst
      • Allison Stanger, Russell Leng ’60 Professor of International Politics and Economics, Middlebury College
      • Peter Stern, Director of Content Policy Stakeholder Engagement, Meta
      • Moderator: Ole Molvig, Assistant Professor of History, Vanderbilt University
  • 3:20–4:00 p.m.: Presentation by Jesse Spencer-Smith of the Data Science Institute at Vanderbilt – AI Counter Speech Toolkits for Hate Speech and Disinformation
  • 4:00–4:30 p.m.: Day One Wrap-Up and Closing Remarks

Friday, Oct. 13 - The John Seigenthaler Freedom Forum First Amendment Center

  • 8:30–9:30 a.m.: Keynote Address: Max Tegmark, professor of physics, MIT
  • 9:30–9:45 a.m.: BREAK
  • 9:45–10:45 a.m.: Panel No. 4: Trust and Safety in Generative AI
    • The panelists will discuss the crucial issue of trust and safety in generative AI, exploring measures to mitigate potential risks and build responsible AI systems.
    • Panelists:
      • Abby Fanlo, Policy and Strategy Lead, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, Department of Defense
      • Sam Gregory, Executive Director, WITNESS
      • Jules White, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University 
      • Moderator: John Samples, Vice President of CATO, Oversight Board LLC 
  • 10:50–11:50 a.m.: Panel No. 5: The Challenge of Disinformation in Generative AI
    • This session will examine the growing concern of disinformation generated by AI and explore strategies to combat this challenge, taking into account its impact on society and democratic processes.
    • Panelists:
      • Doug Fisher, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Associate Professor of Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University
      • Yi-Ling Chung, Research Associate, The Alan Turing Institute
      • Ari Cohn, Attorney and Free Speech Counsel, TechFreedom
      • Moderator: Charreau Bell, Senior Data Scientist, Data Science Institute, Vanderbilt University
  • 11:55 p.m.–12:15 p.m.: Closing Remarks

Symposium on AI, Free Speech and Human Rights