How the Humanities Can Revolutionize AI

The event will feature an engaging panel moderated by Rachael Myrow, Senior Editor at KQED’s Silicon Valley News Desk, with panelists who are redefining the role of ethics in technology and society:

• Dr. Damon Horowitz, a philosopher and technology entrepreneur, has made a career out of examining the ethical implications of AI and technology’s role in society. With experience teaching at Stanford and San Quentin State Pr*son and as a former “In-House Philosopher” at Google, Dr. Horowitz brings a unique perspective on how philosophy informs innovation.

• Michele Elam, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities at Stanford, explores how the humanities and arts can guide the development of AI in equitable ways. Her work examines the intersection of race, technology, and policy, offering critical insights into creating socially responsible tech solutions.

Rob Bonta, California’s Attorney General, will also speak about the legacy of California Humanities and the importance of the humanities and artificial intelligence on government and society, providing a legal and public policy lens, drawing on his career advocating for justice, accountability, and equity in governance.

A special highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the inaugural Spirit of Humanities Award to Tani Cantil-Sakauye, President and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, for her significant contributions to the intersections of the humanities, criminal justice, and social policy.

As we mark this milestone, the event underscores our enduring commitment to the power of storytelling, reflection, and dialogue to inspire a just and connected future.

About Our Venue

On February 28, California Humanities will mark its 50th anniversary beside Diego Rivera’s first U.S. mural, The Allegory of California (1931), at the City Club of San Francisco. In 1931, Rivera transformed the stairway of what was then San Francisco's Pacific Stock Exchange into a panorama of California's natural bounty set warily against the technologies of the day: smokestacks, oil rigs, mine shafts, and the hotly debated airplane of the time. Today, Rivera might use symbols like self-driving cars, 20-story cargo ships, and AI chatbots. But the message carries the same provocation: how to manage technology’s impact on art, labor, and ethics? Can higher human goods be programmed into the tech we use?

About Us

Founded in 1975, California Humanities is a partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that promotes the humanities as a relevant, meaningful way to understand the human condition and connect us to each other. The independent, nonprofit organization produces, funds, creates, and supports humanities-based projects and programs and eye-opening cultural experiences and conversations, awarding over $44 million in grants across every Congressional district in the state. To learn more, visit calhum.org.

Host or Publisher California Humanities