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As artificial intelligence becomes part of research, classrooms and everyday life, a recent conference at the University of Calgary brought graduate students, scholars and community members together to ask a timely question: What does responsible AI look like in practice?

Hosted by the Graduate College, the created space for interdisciplinary conversation and public engagement around the ethical, social and human dimensions of AI. Grounded in the Graduate College’s themes to connect, enrich and energize, the event brought together perspectives across disciplines and lived experience, from research and teaching to industry and community impact.

“The conference, which was entirely organized by graduate student and post-doctoral scholar members of the Graduate College, was a wonderful opportunity for the University of Calgary community to begin to tackle the 'wicked problem' of the ethical implications of the exponential growth of generative artificial intelligence,” says , PhD, associate dean, transdisciplinary scholarship and head of the Graduate College at the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

“The conference was a great example of members of the Graduate College creating a space to connect, engage and energize members of our communities who are interested in the ethical implications of the rapid spread of generative artificial intelligence.”

A conference built for dialogue

Designed as a mix of short, high-impact talks, a multidisciplinary panel and open dialogue, the conference invited participants to engage critically with the ethical, social and human dimensions shaping our AI-powered future.

“We saw a gap between technical AI conversations and broader discussions about real-world impact,” says Dr. Tahereh Rashnavadi, PhD, one of the Graduate College event organizers and a postdoctoral fellow in the Radiology department at the . “This felt like a critical moment to ask not just what AI can do, but what it should do and for whom.”

AI is one of the most talked-about and rapidly evolving areas today, says organizer Di Su, a second-year Master of Engineering student in environmental engineering at the “We wanted to create shared ground where people from different disciplines, and even beyond the university, could slow down, reflect and talk about the broader questions together.”

Ethical AI through transdisciplinary perspectives

From AI hardware and academic integrity to human decision-making, the speaker lineup was intentionally transdisciplinary, bringing together expertise across engineering, education, psychology, law and philosophy to explore the ethical, social and human dimensions of AI.

Speakers and panellists included:

• Speaker : , PhD professor, Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, UCalgary
• Speaker: , MA'97, PhD'09, professor, , with a specialization in leadership, UCalgary
• Speaker/ Panellist: Dr. Igor Grossmann, PhD, professor of psychology, University of Waterloo
• Panel moderator: , PhD, professor of philosophy and department head, , UCalgary
• Panellist: Dr. Deanna Needell, PhD, professor of mathematics, UCLA
• Panellist: Ross Pambrun, CEO, The Memphis Group
• Panellist: Kenneth Zieglar, tech PR and AI ethics speaker 

Where ideas met real-world questions

The conference drew strong participation, with conversations that continued well beyond the formal program.

“Honestly, participation exceeded my expectations, both in terms of attendance and the quality of discussion,” says Dr. Omid Asayesh, PhD'24, a sociology postdoctoral scholar from the  and one of the Graduate College organizers. “What stood out was the level of engagement. People were not just listening; they were critically reflecting and connecting the discussion to their own fields. That kind of interdisciplinary exchange was exactly what we hoped for.”

For attendee Dr. James Colter, BSc (Eng)'17, PhD'25, a postdoctoral scholar in biomedical engineering at the , the conference offered a timely chance to step back and consider how AI work lands beyond the lab. 

“I work at the intersection of AI and regenerative medicine, so diverse perspectives and critical context are important,” he says. “I want to understand how my work, and the potential results of it, can impact humanity and the planet, in ways intended or otherwise.”

Rather than a single standout moment, Colter says the value came from the range of perspectives shared across disciplines. 

“Understanding perspectives broadly lies at the heart of good decision making,” he says. “Hearing experts in one place helped me think more critically about the future of our society, and how to move forward in my own work.”

Continuing the conversation

As emerging technologies continue to shape how we live, learn and work, creating space for thoughtful dialogue remains essential. For the Graduate College, the conference was one way to bring students, researchers and the broader community together to explore the opportunities and questions surrounding AI and ethics. The conversations sparked throughout the event reflect a growing interest in how these issues will continue to influence research, teaching and society, both on campus and beyond.

To learn more about the Graduate College and stay connected with future events, check out its website and follow on for updates and upcoming opportunities to join the conversation.