Subvolts take Humanities professor Elam and Microsoft's Scott explore AI's human side and ethical challenges. Jan 21, 2025 - Developers
- Learn how to incorporate ethical and cultural considerations into AI development from a humanities perspective.
- Business
- Understand the value of diverse viewpoints, including arts and humanities, for responsible AI strategy and societal impact.
This is a solid interview discussing important ethical and interdisciplinary aspects of AI development.
Michele Elam, William Robertson Coe Professor in the Humanities; Senior Fellow, Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence; Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education
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From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
Michele Elam, a Stanford humanities professor, joins Microsoft's Kevin Scott on Behind the Tech to discuss her path from literature to AI. They explore the intersection of humanities and technology, the ethical considerations of AI, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Elam shares her work at Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, emphasizing arts and diversity perspectives.
This episode discusses how people from arts and humanities backgrounds can contribute to building AI. It explains why understanding culture and ethics is important when creating new technology, making AI more helpful and fair for everyone.
This episode offers insights into integrating humanities perspectives into AI development. It is for anyone interested in the ethical and cultural implications of artificial intelligence, particularly those in academia or tech who advocate for interdisciplinary approaches. The discussion on human-centered AI and ethical considerations is timely as major labs like Google Gemini, Anthropic, and OpenAI grapple with responsible AI deployment and societal impact.
- HostKevin Scott
- GuestMichele ElamWilliam Robertson Coe Professor in the Humanities, Stanford University
- Guest: Michele Elam
- Show: Behind The Tech with Kevin Scott
- Length: 66 minutes
- Guest Role: William Robertson Coe Professor in the Humanities at Stanford University
Michele Elam, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities in the English Department at Stanford University and a Race and Technology Affiliate at the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, joins Behind the Tech to discuss her journey and work. Michele shares her unique path from a humanities background to engaging with technology and AI, influenced by her father's career as an astronautics engineer.
In this episode, Michele and Kevin explore the intersection of humanities and technology, discussing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the ethical considerations of AI. They delve into Michele's work at the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford, where she represents arts and diversity perspectives. The conversation also touches on the cultural status of arts versus technology, the impact of storytelling in shaping cultural imagination, and the evolving education of engineering students to include social and ethical questions.
Kevin and Michele reflect on the balance between deep expertise and broad curiosity, the role of arts in technology, and the importance of integrating different perspectives to address complex societal issues. They also discuss the significance of tradition and innovation, drawing insights from Kevin's recent trip to Japan where he observed the coexistence of advanced technology and centuries-old crafts.
Behind the Tech with Kevin Scott
Discover and listen to other Microsoft podcasts.
- Humanities
- Michele Elam
- The study of human culture, like literature, history, and philosophy.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Michele Elam
- When people from different fields of study work together on a project.
34 minYear in Review 2024
WithXyla Foxlin, Lisa Su, Ben Laude, Ethan Mollick
50 minQuestions people ask
- What is Michele Elam's background?
- Michele Elam is the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.
- What is the main theme of the podcast episode?
- The episode explores the intersection of humanities and technology, focusing on the ethical considerations of AI and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to Microsoft.