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AI Future: Duke Summit Highlights
Source: today.duke.edu
Published on June 16, 2025
Triangle AI Summit Explores the Future of AI
The Triangle AI Summit, hosted by Duke University, recently convened leaders from academia and industry to explore the future of AI. The event emphasized the importance of increasing AI engagement and developing leadership skills to navigate the potential and risks of artificial intelligence.
With over 450 in-person attendees and 160 participating via livestream, the summit provided a platform for dialogue and collaboration. Organized by Duke Learning Innovation and Lifetime Education (LILE), Duke Libraries, Duke Community Affairs, and the Duke School of Nursing, the summit highlighted Duke’s commitment to AI research and innovation.
Duke’s Leadership in AI Research
The summit showcased Duke’s leadership in AI, with faculty across all schools involved in cutting-edge research. Supported by the provost’s initiative and steering committee, Duke is at the forefront of AI innovation. All undergraduate students now have access to a prepaid license to ChatGPT-4o through a pilot project with OpenAI, demonstrating the university’s commitment to integrating AI into education.
Tracy Futhey, a key speaker, expressed excitement about the future developments in the rapidly evolving field of AI. The summit featured keynote speaker Cade Metz from the New York Times, along with expert panels discussing AI’s impact on society and scientific innovation.
AI in Healthcare and Education
One of the summit’s highlights was the focus on AI’s transformative potential in healthcare. Nicoleta Economou-Zavlanos presented examples of AI detecting strokes in brain scans more effectively than humans. She also discussed ambient technologies that transcribe conversations, reducing clinician burnout and improving patient care.
Brinnae Bent showcased an AI-assisted medical device designed to help individuals regain mobility. However, she also addressed the harmful impacts of AI, such as deepfake pornography and racially biased police technologies, underscoring the importance of ethical AI development.
AI and the Workforce
The summit explored AI’s impact on the workforce, with Yakut Gazi noting its disproportionate effect on women. While AI is not yet poised to replace humans in most jobs, speakers agreed that it will significantly reshape the workforce. Bent referenced Klarna’s devaluation after replacing customer service representatives with AI, emphasizing the value of human workers.
Cade Metz urged attendees to consider AI’s limitations, highlighting that humans excel at handling chaos and unexpected situations better than machines. He also warned about AI’s "hallucinations" and reliance on unreliable data, which can fuel misinformation. Jun Yang emphasized the importance of critical thinking when using AI, while Duke sophomore Dara Ajiboy stated that education systems must adapt to AI’s growing presence.
Building Connections in the Triangle Community
Provost Alec Gallimore noted that dialogue and collaboration are essential for navigating the future with AI. The summit aimed to build connections within the Triangle community, fostering a network of leaders committed to responsible AI development.
Duke’s AI steering and advisory committees will continue their work on the AI Framework in the fall, creating opportunities for campus community engagement. For more information, visit ai.duke.edu.