Montage of ShowCAIS 2024 speakers and attendees
ShowCAIS, the signature event of the USC Center for AI in Society (CAIS), is now in its second year and has quickly become a melting pot of innovative ideas where artificial intelligence and social good meet.
This year's symposium, which had twice as many participants as last year's inaugural gathering, brought together more than 200 students, faculty and staff, all united in the quest to harness AI for the benefit of society. The event held on April 19th was University of Southern California University Park Campuswhich brought together researchers from 10 different schools at USC We present data-driven, AI-based solutions.
Center, Released in 2016is one of the first projects of its kind in the United States, representing a unique collaboration between the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and the USC Dworakpek School of Social Work. Its mission is to advance the research, education, and application of AI for the well-being of vulnerable communities through partnerships with community stakeholders, organizations, and policy makers.
“This year has grown a lot since last year and was a complete success,” he said. Bistra Dilkina, USC Viterbi Associate Professor, USC CAIS Co-Director. “We have had an overwhelming response, with many participants from all over USC, including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff as well as groups of homeschooled high school students, and are increasing interest and reach for our event. It shows that.
The symposium consisted of several key themes that demonstrate the potential of AI in a variety of areas, from homelessness and environmental sustainability to health and media misinformation. Among the innovative approaches discussed were the use of large-scale language models to analyze conversations about homelessness and mental health, remote sensing to map the distribution of homelessness, and cloud classification to tackle climate change. and AI-powered neural network models for. Dirkina highlighted the role of AI in conservation and discussed its pivotal use in environmental protection efforts.
Bistra Dilkina, USC Viterbi Associate Professor and USC CAIS Co-Director, will present her research on the role of AI in conservation here.
“The potential for AI in a variety of fields, from the environment to health, is enormous,” says Dilkina. “This symposium was a pivotal event that not only highlighted our current capabilities, but also fostered discussion about future applications, built networks, and generated innovative ideas.”
Ethical AI development and collaborative efforts across different disciplines and schools at USC were highlighted throughout the event.Interesting presentation by stephen gibler The Hollywood producer and adjunct assistant professor at the USC School of Motion Picture Arts investigated the emerging role of AI in democratizing filmmaking.
His talk, titled “Democratizing Hollywood: Envisioning the Future of Unique AI-Driven Filmmaking,” will use AI tools to help individual creators create complex films without the need for big budgets. We have delved into details on how to make this possible. Gibler's collaboration with CAIS and his USC Viterbi highlights the growing synergy between creative industries and AI technology.
“Collaboration with engineers and AI researchers at USC Viterbi has been important and opened up new possibilities,” Gibler said. “These collaborations are essential to pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve in the creative industries.”
ShowCAIS 2024 participants work on research posters at event
The event also saw strong student participation, including presentations from student organizations such as: CAIS++ Posters from 66 different research groups will be on display, providing an exciting platform for young researchers to interact with experienced academics and stakeholders.
Grant Brontoli, a fourth-year student at USC Viterbi, emphasized the event's focus on practical applications. computer science game programpresented “Sea Guardian: Ocean Rescue” This web-based educational game teaches middle school students about the ecological role of kelp in the marine environment through engaging gameplay of collecting kelp while avoiding ocean toxins.
“By integrating gameplay and learning objectives like this, our goal is to make environmental science engaging and accessible,” Brontoli said. “What's really exciting is bringing this tool into the classroom and seeing it inspire our students. We're not just teaching them about marine biology and environmental science; we're teaching them It shows how you can make a difference.”
As ShowCAIS 2024 concluded, the event not only showcased the broad capabilities of AI, but also demonstrated USC CAIS's commitment to promoting interdisciplinary approaches to education and problem-solving, and leveraging technology for the betterment of society. The emphasis was clear.and AI weaves a complex tapestry into many aspects of our lives, and events like ShowCAIS not only highlight AI's current capabilities, but also help build a more just and sustainable world. It also sparks debate about the future trajectory of AI.
“I hope this symposium will plant the seeds of connections that will lead to next year's presentations and projects,” Dirkina said. “The key to unlocking impact is team science: different perspectives, different backgrounds, different expertise.”
Published May 2, 2024
Last updated: May 2, 2024
