Can AI be harnessed to save the world?
The next wave of technology is here—and it is changing everything. A.I. Uprising, the ninth edition of Georgetown University in Qatar’s (GU-Q) Hiwaraat series, will explore how humans can direct Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sustainably reshape industries and the workforce, enhance well-being, and protect the planet’s future.
Despite AI’s obvious potential benefits, there are clear and present costs. For every boost in productivity, workers are displaced and skills become obsolete. For every green job created, energy demands surge and environmental trade-offs intensify. How then do we navigate this wave of technology to meet the needs of humans and the planet?
Over the course of the conference, participants will hear the voices behind the breakthroughs and the minds challenging them. From academics to CEOs, policymakers to radical thinkers, GU-Q will host an extraordinary range of perspectives from around the world, with an emphasis on Africa and Asia.
Through keynote addresses, high-level panels, and concurrent sessions, participants will examine how to direct the smartest tech in the room to act with conscience and explore ways of harnessing AI’s potential without leaving humanity behind.
The clock is ticking, and the stakes could not be higher. Join the dialogue that illuminates what is next.
Agenda
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Safwan Masri
Dean, Georgetown University in Qatar
9:30 – 9:45 AM
Keynote Address 1
9:45 – 10:30 AM
Dr. Moriba Jah – Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin
SESSION 1: The Ethics of AI in Our Geopolitical Context
10:30 – 11:30 AM
AI presents the global community with profound ethical challenges, from increased geopolitical and economic stratification to the near-term exacerbation of climate harm. Among other issues, panelists will address ethical regulation of AI to secure the moral goal of a genuinely just energy transformation and jobs revolution
Moderator: Dr. Anjana Jacob, Assistant Teaching Professor of Philosophy, Georgetown University in Qatar
Dr. James Olsen, Environmental Ethicist, Georgetown University in Qatar
Dr. Georgios Dimitropoulos, Associate Professor of Law, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Dr. Sahana Udupa, Professor of Media Anthropology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Owen J. Daniels, Associate Director of Analysis at the Center for Security and
Emerging Technology, Georgetown University
Break
11:30 AM – 11:45 AM
SESSION 2: Promoting Sustainable Development
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Faced with a current global “polycrisis,” much of the hype around AI relates to its incredible potential to improve humanity’s condition, as well as facilitate and hasten other innovations as a means toward global flourishing.
Moderator: Dr. Raha Hakimdavar, Senior Advisor to the Deans of GU-Q and Earth Commons, Georgetown University
Dr. Moriba Jah, Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Saurabh Mishra, Founder and CEO of Taiyō.AI
Dr. Alessio Terzi, Economist, European Commission
Dr. Muez Ali, Research and Policy Associate, Earthna
LUNCH
12:45 – 2:15 PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS 2
2:15 – 3:00 PM
Dr. Merritt Moore, Quantum Physicist, Ballerina and Distinguished Artist in Residence, NYU Abu Dhabi
SESSION 3: Innovation to Improve Humanity
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Faced with a current global “polycrisis,” much of the hype around AI relates to its incredible potential to improve humanity’s condition, as well as facilitate and hasten other innovations as a means toward global flourishing.
Moderator: Douglas Little, Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Georgetown University
Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, Associate Professor of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Rika Nakazawa, Chief Commercial Innovation, NTT Group
Hakan Ozdemir, CEO of Siemens Qatar and Siemens Middle East – Smart Infrastructure
Mohammed Al-Hardan, Head of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Department at QIA
Break
4:00 – 4:15 PM
SESSION 4: AI and Labor Market Transformation
4:15 – 5:15 PM
AI is eliminating and creating new jobs. Its potential is also clear when it comes to jobs re-skilling, reducing drudgery in work, and helping policymakers to design economies to better benefit workers and citizens.
Moderator: Dr. Alexis Antoniades, Professor of Economics, Georgetown University in Qatar
Dr. Emmanouil Chatzikonstantinou, Assistant Professor of International Economics, Georgetown University in Qatar
Dr. Pawel Gmyrek, Senior Researcher, International Labor Organization
Salim Al-Barami, Strategic Planning and Digital Transformation Advisor, Ministry of Labour, Qatar
Dr. Hoda Alkhzaimi, Strategic Economic, Technology, and Investment Advisor, and Associate Vice Provost of Research Translation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, NYU Abu Dhabi
Closing
Dr. Santiago Garcia-Couto, Assistant Professor of International Economics,
Georgetown University in Qatar
5:15 – 5:30 PM
Cocktail Reception
5:30 – 6:00 PM
The agenda is subject to change
The Hiwaraat conference series at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) brings together scholars, experts, and the public for an informed, thought-provoking, and counter-intuitive exploration of globally relevant, timely issues. Each conference in the series offers an inclusive space that encourages community engagement, knowledge sharing, and the search for innovative solutions to present and future challenges.
Please direct questions to Dr. Santiago García-Couto and Dr. James Olsen.