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The Rhetorics of Artificial Intelligence: A Symposium

Date: 3 November 9:30 - 3:15pm
Location: Peter Shergold Building 1, Lvl 4, Rm 23 & 33, 169 Macquarie Street, Parramatta, Western Sydney University

The Rhetorics of Artificial Intelligence is a one-day symposium designed to explore two related issues: first, the rhetoric of public discourses surrounding AI; and second, whether AI recognises and can employ rhetoric, broadly conceived. What do our ongoing conversations concerning AI reveal about larger social and political anxieties and phenomena? To what extent and in what ways will AI technologies transform language and meaning making in the world? Will AI ever emulate human modes of rhetorical interaction? As AI becomes a ubiquitous aspect of our everyday experience, such questions become more urgent and necessary.

We seek a broad interdisciplinary, collaborative investigation of these issues and the day will bring together speakers from psychological science, cultural anthropology, information technology, and philosophy. The symposium begins with some short discussion papers, a workshop seminar with pre-circulated reading materials, before finishing with a roundtable discussion on the rhetorics of AI at the nexus of HASS and STEM. Morning tea and lunch will be provided. For a summary of the event details, please see the programme below.
We welcome all attendees with an interest in these conversations from any academic discipline, as well as from industry.

Please RSVP to Norma (n.lam-saw@westernsydney.edu.au) by 26 Oct with any dietary restrictions for catering purposes. Reading materials will also be provided upon RSVP. 
SCHEDULE

9:30  - 11am: Welcome by Dr Charles Barbour and Young & Resilient's Dr Jacinta Sassine
Short discussion papers by:

  • Dr Tamara Watson, Associate Professor in Psychological Science (WSU)
  • Dr Liam Magee, Associate Professor at the Institute of Culture and Society (WSU), Young & Resilient Member
  • Prof. Simeon Simoff, Dean of the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics (WSU)

11 - 11:30am: Morning Tea


11:30 - 1pm
“Isn’t it Alronic?” Seminar by Dr Justin Clemens, Associate Professor at the School of Culture and Communication (UniMelb). Copies of materials will be circulated to the RSVP list closer to the Symposium

1pm  - 1:45pm: Lunch

1:45 - 3:15pm: Roundtable Discussion with speakers, additional guest speakers and industry representatives.