An inaugural Dartmouth AI Conference to be held on Sept. 29 will honor the institution’s legacy as the birthplace for artificial intelligence while also discussing the rapid advancements and challenges permeating the current AI landscape.

Spearheaded by the Tuck School of Business and the Tuck Center for Digital Strategies, the conference will convene industry stalwarts from diverse sectors including banking, health care, technology, venture capital, and consulting.

Patrick Wheeler, executive director of the Tuck Center for Digital Strategies, emphasized the timeliness and relevance of the discussions slated for the conference. “AI application is evolving rapidly across both academia and the business sector. Dartmouth stands at the crossroads of this evolution, fostering AI developments that are technically sound, ethically responsible, and practically beneficial for society,” Wheeler says.

The one-day conference, to be held at Tuck’s Raether McLaughlin Atrium, offers a rich platform for students, faculty, and staff to interact with leaders and experts steering the current innovations in the field. Alumni can participate virtually, ensuring the Dartmouth community worldwide can engage in the event.

An impressive roster of speakers will be featured at the event, including:

• Aditya Bhasin, Thayer ’96, chief technology and information officer, Bank of America
• Sandeep Dadlani, executive vice president, chief digital and technology officer, UnitedHealth Group
• Graham Brooks, Tuck ’02, partner with .406 Ventures
• Lisa Marsch, founding director of the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health at Dartmouth

A central theme of the conference will be the responsible and ethical creation and utilization of AI. Dartmouth, with its rich interdisciplinary tradition, is uniquely positioned to lead discussions that meld deep technical expertise with a liberal arts approach to the ethical dimensions inherent in AI development.

“This event is a great opportunity to synthesize and showcase all the innovations in this exciting and dynamic field happening in different pockets around campus to audiences within and outside Dartmouth,” says LaMar Bunts, chief transformation officer.

Dartmouth has a long history with AI. The 1956 Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence is widely seen to be the foundational event that kickstarted research in artificial intelligence.