With AI transforming how societies function, a new program in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) aims to meet the urgent need to understand AI’s implications for culture, governance, ethics, communication, creativity, labor and social organization.

The Humanities, Social Sciences + AI initiative, administered by A&S, will prepare students to critically and constructively shape an AI-driven world while energizing interdisciplinary teaching, research and public engagement.

“Cornell is already a leader in technical development of AI, and this initiative will establish Cornell as a leader in integrating AI with humanistic and social scientific scholarship as well,” said Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences. “We’re building an intellectual community dedicated to ensuring that AI advances in ways that strengthen society, democracy and human flourishing.”

The first year of the initiative is being funded through the Cornell AI Initiative and a gift from John Josephson ’83 and Carolina Zapf. It has three core components designed to bring together faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars and external practitioners to build a durable interdisciplinary ecosystem linking AI to humanistic and social scientific inquiry.

A program for postdoctoral fellows will form the initiative’s intellectual core. The Humanities, Social Sciences + AI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is currently recruiting five postdoctoral fellows to join A&S for up to two years. They will conduct interdisciplinary research examining AI’s social, political, ethical, cultural and economic implications while contributing to undergraduate and graduate teaching. Applications are being accepted through Nov. 15.

The Distinguished Visitors and AI Practitioners-in-Residence Program will connect students and faculty with individuals who are shaping AI in real-world contexts. They will come to campus to offer public talks and engage with faculty and students. Their visits will ensure that Cornell’s academic work remains connected to cutting-edge developments and societal applications of AI, Loewen said.

The first distinguished visitor is Paul Graham ’86, founder of Y Combinator and co-founder of Viaweb. He helped establish a model for supporting early-stage startups that has since funded thousands of companies, including Airbnb, DoorDash, Dropbox and Reddit. He has been on campus during the week of Oct. 26, gave a public talk on “How to Turn Yourself Into a Startup Founder” and conducted a faculty forum exploring the implications of AI for the humanities and social sciences.

Five to six AI Practitioners-in-Residence, drawn from industry, government, civil society and the cultural and creative sectors, will spend one to two weeks on campus. They’ll deliver public lectures, participate in workshops and seminars, advise faculty and student research, and collaborate with others in different disciplines across campus.

And a new interdisciplinary university-wide minor, AI & Society, is currently under development. Courses will explore what AI means for people and institutions, from political science and philosophy to history, literature, economics and sociology.

The initiative will also support a robust set of public and academic programming, including an annual AI and Society symposium, research workshops, postdoctoral professional development opportunities, and outreach and communications.

Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.