Emory University held a sold-out conference, “Ground Truth: Reclaiming Reality in the Age of AI,” on March 27 to examine how artificial intelligence is changing various aspects of society. The event brought together hundreds of faculty, staff, students, and community members for discussions about both the promise and pitfalls of AI.
The topic is timely as artificial intelligence continues to affect daily life, raising questions about which advances will have lasting value. Joe Sutherland, director of Emory’s Center for AI Learning and organizer of the conference, said, “The technology is powerful, but the hype is real, too. When those things come together, people need a place where they can speak honestly. That’s what this conference is for.”
Speakers from Emory and across the country addressed how AI influences creativity, work environments, medicine, energy use, and public trust. Keynote speaker Zeynep Tufekci noted that while new technologies bring potential benefits and power to improve lives—”like a useful toaster”—they should not work against public interest. “I am not against these technologies,” Tufekci said. “There’s no question there’s a lot of upside and potential and power in these technologies… But I do not want them to align against the public interest.” Her remarks set the tone for panel discussions throughout the day.
Panelists discussed concerns such as whether easy-to-generate AI content could diminish valuable learning experiences in creative fields or if automating entry-level tasks might make it harder for workers to advance their careers. Dana Haugaard from Emory’s Department of Film and Media emphasized that struggle is part of creativity: “We are creative problem-solvers… Having an idea, failing… That’s where the interesting things happen.” Steven Ferguson from Georgia Tech raised similar points regarding workforce development: “Where AI gets applied is in the repetitive tasks that are often entry-level jobs… We’re removing the first rung on the ladder.”
In medicine, experts highlighted both achievements and ongoing challenges with AI applications such as medical imaging analysis. Morris Panner from Intelerad said while progress has been made spotting patterns in X-rays with high consistency—sometimes beyond human capability—the technology still makes unusual mistakes that limit its reliability in clinical decision-making.
Joe Sutherland concluded by saying he was glad Emory provided space for thoughtful discussion about how artificial intelligence may shape future workforces and communities: “People everywhere are asking what AI means for their work, their communities, their families,” he said.
The event was organized by Emory’s Center for AI Learning under its AI.Humanity initiative with support from sponsors including Amazon; Advanced Technology Development Center at Georgia Tech; Box; City of Atlanta; Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing; Georgia Film Academy; Rowen Foundation; and Snowflake.
