The Philosophy department joined a spirited discussion hosted by the AI Student Association on Thursday, October 9. The debate included Professor David Hildebrand (Philosophy) and Associate Professor Farnoush Banaei-Kashani (Director of CU Denver's Big Data Lab). The discussion centered on two prompts: "Is AI capable of reasoning?" and "Does AI belong in creative spaces?"
Banaei-Kashani held a decidedly positive view on both, arguing that AI could reason and was rapidly becoming capable of creativity, potentially matching the unconventional genius of artists like Picasso and Monet. Conversely, Hildebrand was more critical. He acknowledged AI's capacity for narrow reasoning but insisted that its inability to possess a human standpoint (situated, staked, and embodied) meant it could not achieve a more fulsome kind of reasoning, which he defined as "inquiry" (a process that does not treat intellect and feeling as categorically separate). Further, he argued for specific boundaries on AI's influence across creative spaces for makers, consumers, and educators.
Students also joined in with a variety of interesting questions and comments, offering opinions on AI and consciousness, whether AI was going to "take over the world," whether there was an "AI bubble" (economically), and whether AI might someday reach a level of development deserving of moral rights.
For anyone interested, the AI Student Association is a student-led organization dedicated to exploring the applications of artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning. Their mission is "to bridge the gap between theory and practice" and "offers opportunities for learning, networking, and advancing your AI journey." Their web page is at https://cudenver-ai.tech/about-us