From healthcare to education, artificial intelligence is reshaping our world. But at Duke’s Triangle AI Summit, one truth rang clear: the future of AI depends on people just as much as machines.
Key Points at a Glance
- Duke’s Triangle AI Summit gathered leaders to discuss AI’s impact
- AI shows promise in medicine, education, and accessibility tech
- Risks include misinformation, bias, and workforce disruption
- Humans and AI must evolve together—not in competition
In a world buzzing with headlines about artificial intelligence replacing jobs or rewriting the rules of creativity, Duke University’s Triangle AI Summit offered a more grounded vision: a future in which AI and human intelligence are not rivals, but collaborators. Held at the Washington Duke Inn, the summit attracted over 600 attendees, blending tech experts, educators, and students from across the Triangle region.
“There’s no turning back,” declared Professor Jun Yang. “We must learn to treat AI not as a threat, but as an extension of human potential.” That message echoed through every keynote, panel, and hands-on demo: the real challenge is not AI’s rise—but how we choose to guide it.
From stroke-detecting algorithms to devices helping people with cerebral palsy walk again, the summit showcased AI’s capacity to improve lives. But the conversation didn’t shy away from its darker edges: AI-generated deepfakes targeting teens, racially biased surveillance tech, and the disproportionate displacement of women in vulnerable jobs.
“We truly believe in the potential for AI in health care,” said Duke Health’s Nicoleta Economou-Zavlanos, highlighting how AI is reducing clinician burnout through automatic transcription tools. Meanwhile, Brinnae Bent’s work on AI-assisted mobility devices illustrated how tech can restore dignity and independence to patients with neurological disorders.
Yet, these benefits are accompanied by growing concerns. “AI’s ‘hallucinations’—its tendency to invent plausible-sounding falsehoods—can be dangerous,” warned Cade Metz, keynote speaker and tech journalist. Misinformation, especially when wrapped in the authority of AI, poses unique risks to public trust.
Another concern: the blind trust some students place in generative AI tools. “They’re growing up in a world where AI is everywhere, and we’ve not yet taught them how to question it,” said Yang. Duke’s response includes a proactive AI education framework and a pilot partnership with OpenAI, giving students direct access to ChatGPT-4o while teaching responsible usage.
The summit’s student panelists echoed the urgency for change. “Pandora’s box is open,” said sophomore Dara Ajiboy. “We can’t close it—but we can learn how to live with what’s come out.”
Duke’s AI steering committee is now crafting a university-wide framework to guide AI engagement—an approach that blends research excellence, ethical awareness, and community collaboration. With initiatives from across its schools and a growing role in regional dialogue, Duke is positioning itself not just as an observer, but a leader in the age of AI.
As Professor Chris Bail put it: “We’re not just shaping AI. It’s shaping us too.”
Source: Duke Today
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