Who's Afraid of AI? Arts, Sciences, and the Futures of Intelligence

2025 marks an inflection point in our technological landscape, driven by seismic shifts in AI innovation.

Who's Afraid of AI? Arts, Science, and the Futures of Intelligence is a week-long inquiry into the implications and future directions of AI for our creative and collective imaginings, and the many possible futures of intelligence. The complexity of these immediate future calls for interdisciplinary dialogue, bringing together artists, AI researchers, and humanities scholars.
In this volatile domain, the question of who envisions our futures is vital. Artists explore with complexity and humanity, while the humanities reveal the histories of intelligence and the often-overlooked ways knowledge and decision-making have been shaped. By placing these voices in dialogue with AI researchers and technologists, Who’s Afraid of AI? examines the social dimensions of technology, questions tech solutionism from a social-impact perspective, and challenges profit-driven AI with innovation guided by public values.
The two-day conference at the University of Toronto’s University College anchors the week and features panels and debates with leading figures in these disciplines, including a keynote by 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI” and 2025 Neil Graham Lecturer in Science, Fei-Fei Li, an AI pioneer.

Throughout the week, the conversation continued across the city with:

• AI-themed and AI powered art shows and exhibitions
• Film screenings
• Innovative theatre
• Experimental music
  

Who’s Afraid of AI? demonstrates that Toronto has not only shaped the history of AI but continued to prepare its future. Step into this changing landscape and be part of this transformative dialogue — register today!

Hosted by: University of Toronto, University College & BMO Lab
Co-Sponsored: TUX (tux-hci.org), SSHRC, Jackman Humanities Institute, CIFAR, Hart House, Department of Psychology, Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine, Centre for Comparative Literature, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Information, Hart House Theatre, Department of Computer Science, ICCIT, Department of English, Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures, Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology.

Host or Publisher Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto