Students, faculty and community members were guided to envision an “AI future” through participating in a number of questions and exercises to prompt thought and discussion during an event hosted by the University of New Mexico’s AI Steering Committee on Thursday.
UNM Professor of Information and Learning Science Vanessa Svihla moderated the time travel, guiding attendees to a future where AI is heavily present.
“You also notice other time tourists who seem displeased by this future. You hear them mumble something about missed profits, generative AI, and ‘we can change this easily if we just…’” Svihla told the audience, urging them to instead complete the sentence themselves.
Participants were given 15 minutes to fill in the blank about what this “change” could be before “returning to present time.” They were given a chance to speak publicly about how they envision an AI future.
“If you knew then what we know now about asbestos, would you tell the world about how it causes mesothelioma and prevent it from being put in schools with children?” UNM junior Tabea Wilham told the moderator. “I want you to think about that when considering AI.”
UNM sophomore Ariana Rosner-Salazar told the crowd she envisioned an uncertain future where the Rio Grande could either run dry or flow again, allowing students to “learn off the land.”
“How can I as a student be promised that in 10 years, my river, the Rio Grande, which is dry now, will be flowing again in 10 years with the continued use of AI, with the continued studies upon studies showing how it just drains and steals our water?” Rosner-Salazar said.
Participants were reminded that their “memory would be wiped” upon returning back to present time; however, a fellow traveller offered to smuggle messages from the future on a postcard.
Participants were asked to share these messages from the future.
Attendees of all ages drew pictures and wrote messages on the provided postcard templates with colored markers and pencils.
“On the front (of the postcard), I want you to protect what you have learned about the future and why it gives you so much hope,” Svihla said. “On the back, write a message about specific things to do to ensure that this future actually happens.”
Attendees were instructed to address their postcards to themselves, UNM or the AI Steering Committee.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“Biodiversity gone,” a student wrote on the front of their postcard. On the back they wrote “I don’t own my own pencil, I don’t own my own thoughts.”
Leila Chapa is the photo editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
Leila Chapa is the photo editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
