Clifford Symposium 2025

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.

Clifford 2025

The 2025 Clifford Symposium will bring 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 and hands-on experiences, we will move beyond both techno-optimism and digital doom to engage with fundamental questions about human agency, collective responsibility, and the future of learning.

What role should AI play in higher education, and how do we prepare students for a world of human-AI collaboration? 

Where do we draw the line between augmenting human capability and surrendering human judgment? 

How do we harness AI’s transformative potential while safeguarding human values and democratic principles? 

Through panels, presentations, workshops, and artistic expressions, participants will explore these questions across disciplines—from computer science and economics to ethics and the arts. 

Local schools, community organizations, and industry partners will join us in examining AI’s impact on education, creativity, work, and social structures. The symposium will showcase both practical applications and critical perspectives, emphasizing our collective responsibility to shape AI’s development in service of human flourishing.

Join Us

As we unbox AI—examining its components, capabilities, and consequences—we aim not just to understand this technology, but to envision and create a future where artificial intelligence enhances rather than diminishes our human purpose. 

Join us for two days of discovery, dialogue, and critical engagement with one of the most transformative forces of our time.