2025 Clifford Symposium AI Unboxed: Moving Beyond Hype & Fear

What happens when we open the “black box” of artificial intelligence and examine its true nature, possibilities, and limitations? 

As AI possibly reshapes our world—from the classroom to the workplace, from creative expression to scientific discovery—we find ourselves at a pivotal moment that demands both critical examination and purposeful engagement.

The 2025 Clifford Symposium brought together scholars, artists, technologists, and community members to explore AI not as a singular force but as a multifaceted phenomenon that requires precise language and nuanced understanding. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, we moved beyond both techno-optimism and digital doom to engage with fundamental questions about human agency, collective responsibility, and the future of learning.

Watch the 2025 Clifford Symposium videos below (password: Clifford2025)

Opening Session: President Ian Baucom in conversation with Meghan O'Rourke

Faculty Panel: AI in the Middlebury Classroom

Keynote: Melanie Mitchell on The Past, Present, and Uncertain Future of Artificial Intelligence

Ian Stewart: AI and Global Security

Parker Harris ('89): Building the Future Workforce: An Industry Perspective on AI and Human Potential

Middlebury Alumni Share Their Experiences with AI in the World

Laura Biester: From Words to Numbers and Back Again