Wright State to host workshop on AI’s impact in the workplace

Wright State University will host a workshop to discuss the ramifications of the hot-button topic of artificial intelligence and its impact on employers.

AI and the Future of Work: A Roadmap for Effectively Incorporating AI Into the Workplace will take place Friday, Nov. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Endeavour Room in the Student Union.

“This is not just an overview,” said Ayşe Şahin, Ph.D., dean of the Wright State College of Science and Mathematics. “It is an opportunity for businesses to dig into their work and start the process of identifying which tasks are AI appropriate and to identify the issues they need to address for effective integration of AI.”

She added that business and company executives ask “will it save me something or will it cause a new problem? We’re trying to help people at a high level of decision-making to evaluate AI. I’ve not seen any workshop that allows people to delve into this.”

Participants should register for the workshop at wright.edu/event/ai-workshop. Space is limited.

Registration is $175 per individual. A $25 discount will be offered per person for groups of five or more from the same company. Group registration requires a promo code available by contacting the workshop organizers.

The workshop will open with presentations on “AI in the Workplace: A History and Overview” and “AI in the Workplace: Legal Considerations,” followed by sessions on “How does AI change contemporary work?,” “Challenges and opportunities of AI: Environmental impact and trust,” and “AI and HR functions: Uses, benefits and concerns.”

A working lunch will feature a panel discussion on “How AI Changes Work and Workplaces.” The panel will consist of Wright State alumni with expertise in incorporating artificial intelligence in different industries.

The workshop features several Wright State speakers: Sean Culley, J.D., vice president for legal affairs and general counsel; Valerie Shalin, Ph.D., professor of psychology in the human factors area of the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Ph.D. program; Ion Juvina, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology in the human factors area of the Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Ph.D. program; and Debra Steele-Johnson, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Psychology.

Şahin said she hopes participants come away from the workshop “feeling empowered making their AI decisions and to understand the work they have to do to evaluate whether AI is furthering their work.”

It is also important for Wright State to address AI issues with local businesses and companies, she said.

“This is an example of building relationships with our industry partners,” Şahin said. “We have expertise in this field. It is our pleasure and privilege to share our expertise with them.”