StraightTalk 2026: The AI Reckoning: A Future We Can’t Ignore (Session 1 – Ethics & Power)
Presented by The Riley Institute and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University
September 8, 15, 22 | 6:30-7:45 p.m. | McAlister Auditorium
Artificial intelligence is reshaping American life. It influences cost of living, what information we trust, how decisions are made, and how we work, learn, and interact.
Each session of StraightTalk 2026 will explore both the concerns and the possibilities of AI in everyday life. Designed for students, educators, workers, community leaders, and engaged citizens, the series focuses on shared American values – opportunity, accountability, and human dignity – and affirms the power of people to shape the tools impacting our lives.
Session I: Ethics & Power
Session II: Democracy & Trust
Session III: Work & Education
Session 1 (September 8): Ethics & Power
AI is shaping everyday life in ways many people don’t see, from access to resources and economic opportunities to environmental and social impacts. This session explores how AI is changing our communities and futures, who benefits, who may be left behind, and how citizens can help shape AI for the public good.
Speakers:
- Renee Cummings, AI ethicist and professor of practice in Data Science at University of Virginia
- Sneha Revanur, founder and president of AI advocacy nonprofit, Encode AI
- Andrew Predmore, executive director of The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities at Furman
Full information at https://www.furman.edu/riley/projects/straighttalk-2026/