Language and AI: Generating Interdisciplinary Connections and Possibilities
An interdisciplinary conference focusing on the theory, industry, and research happening between language and AI.
Language-based artificial intelligence technologies (i.e., large language model tools, like ChatGPT, Google Translate, DeepL, etc.) are at the forefront of many discussions currently taking place in both the academic world and beyond. That said, the key components at the heart of these technologies–language and machine learning–often operate in silos, without opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration, sharing, or critique.
This conference, which took place on February 28, 2024 in collaboration with the Townsend Center for the Humanitites and the Division of Arts & Humanities, we gathered together researchers, instructors, and practitioners from the UC Berkeley community who work in different parts of the language/culture and machine learning landscape. The goal of the conference was to showcase the work being done in machine learning and language/culture study in the UC Berkeley community and to explore questions of language, language use, and technology from three perspectives: research, industry, theory.
Questions that shaped our Conference
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What questions about language/culture/humanistic inquiry does AI encourage us to ask?
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What kinds of research and theoretical work is being done on AI and language/culture study on campus?
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How is current work being done in AI informed by a language/culture perspective?
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How can AI be applied/leveraged in language-related research, industry and career settings? What possibilities are there?
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What are future areas of exploration and interdisciplinary dialogues?
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What questions about language/culture/humanistic inquiry does AI encourage us to ask?
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What kinds of research and theoretical work is being done on AI and language/culture study on campus?
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How do theoretical approaches to language or AI get taken up in research and instructional settings?
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What methods are being used?
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How is current work being done in AI informed by a language/culture perspective?
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Can AI be leveraged to further the study/exploration of language/culture/humanities on campus? If so, how?
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What questions related to language/AI are being asked in industry settings?
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How can AI be applied/leveraged in language-related research and career settings? What career possibilities are there?
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What are future areas of exploration and interdisciplinary dialogues?