Stanford Professor Michele Elam and Kevin Scott on art, AI, the engineering mindset and more

0:00 Intro – Michele Elam
1:00 Early life, pathway into tech and AI
11:06 The engineering mindset
17:04 Kevin & Michele get philosophical and “squishy”
28:33 Is AI a neutral tool?
38:52 Michele asks Kevin about how he got into pottery
46:24 The problem of trying to define art
1:00:51 What Michele does for fun
1:03:21 Kevin’s post-interview reflection

Michele Elam, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Humanities in the English Department at Stanford University and a Race and Technology Affiliate at the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, joins Behind the Tech to discuss her journey and work. Michele shares her unique path from a humanities background to engaging with technology and AI, influenced by her father's career as an astronautics engineer.

In this episode, Michele and Kevin explore the intersection of humanities and technology, discussing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the ethical considerations of AI. They delve into Michele's work at the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence at Stanford, where she represents arts and diversity perspectives. The conversation also touches on the cultural status of arts versus technology, the impact of storytelling in shaping cultural imagination, and the evolving education of engineering students to include social and ethical questions.

Kevin and Michele reflect on the balance between deep expertise and broad curiosity, the role of arts in technology, and the importance of integrating different perspectives to address complex societal issues. They also discuss the significance of tradition and innovation, drawing insights from Kevin's recent trip to Japan where he observed the coexistence of advanced technology and centuries-old crafts.

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