October 27, 2026
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
Longfellow Hall, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge and virtual
Artificial intelligence is reshaping our information-gathering, knowledge-building, and decision-making practices at an unprecedented pace. From personal AI assistants to social media algorithms, AI is changing not only individual cognition but also the fabric and organization of society. Amid these disruptions, what challenges do we face? What would it take for civil society to remain resilient? Where might that resilience come from, what should we expect from those creating these technologies, and what role should education play?
Chloé Bakalar, former AI Ethics Lead at OpenAI and previous Chief Ethicist at Meta, and Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at Harvard, will examine how AI systems and democratic practice intersect. Drawing on their respective work in applied ethics, political philosophy, and civic education, they will explore how values can be translated into the design and governance of AI systems, how emerging technologies may affect democratic institutions and practices, and what forms of civic resilience may be needed in an AI-mediated society.
