Voices of Discovery speaker to discuss ‘getting it right’ with AI | Today at Elon

While artificial intelligence applications continue to expand, there are rising concerns about its limitations, particularly in safety-critical areas.

Missy Cummings, a leader in AI and robotics who is co-director of the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University, will address this critical topic with audiences during the next Voices of Discovery lecture Monday, Nov. 11. Cummings will deliver “The Promises and Perils of AI” at 3 p.m. in Lakeside Meeting Rooms.

Though AI’s presence spans industries, Cummings warns of the potential dangers when it is applied in fields like transportation and healthcare. As a former military pilot and naval officer, she brings a rigorous understanding of safety to her research of AI in robotics. Currently directing the Mason Responsible AI program and George Mason’s robotics center, Cummings is committed to “getting it right,” teaching and modeling responsible AI, and ensuring AI’s efficiency, accuracy and safety.

Her work emphasizes human-AI collaboration, teaching principles of responsible AI to mitigate risks associated with incorrect AI usage. Cummings encourages this approach to prepare students and corporate partners to tackle AI’s real-world complexities effectively. Among many other accolades, Cummings is also an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Royal Aeronautical Society Fellow.

Voices of Discovery brings preeminent scientists and mathematicians to Elon University to share their experiences and perspectives with students and the community. Sponsored by Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, and Elon University, the annual speaker series is fundamental to creating a science-conscious community developing students as informed, critically thinking citizens.

The final Voices of Discovery speaker of the 2024-25 academic year will be Kate Brauman, deputy director of the Global Water Security Center at the University of Alabama, on March 10. Her lecture will be “Water Security: Making Sense of Global Trends in Water Availability and Water Use.”