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Born Before AI: A Lecture Series


 

Born Before AI 3 

Spring 2026

 

Now returning for its third season, the Born Before AI lecture series continues to offer a rich survey of artificial intelligence: what it can do, how it works, why it is so disruptive, and where it is headed. The series features experts with deep knowledge and experience in AI, drawn from NKU’s faculty and leaders.

Although this year’s lectures don’t presuppose any background from last year’s series, we will give particular attention to the new capabilities of AI that have emerged over the past twelve months. 

The title of this series is a nod to 1956, the year when the term "artificial intelligence" was born, at a conference at Dartmouth College. Framed primarily as a program for post-career individuals, it welcomes anyone who seeks an authoritative yet engaging overview of this frequently over-exposed field.

This series is part of AI Generations, a suite of programs in the 鶹ӾCollege of Informatics bringing AI knowledge and experience to multiple generations of learners.

There is no charge, but registration is required.
Participants may sign up for any or all of the three sessions.
 

Register Now

This lecture series is supported through the generosity of Ellen Rieveschl.

 

 

 

AI-generated image of a small eastern liberal arts college from 1956.
All lectures will be held in the George and Ellen Rieveschl Digitorium, Griffin Hall, NKU.

Part 1: FRIDAY, APRIL 10 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM

AI Today (Kevin Kirby, Ph.D.)
What AI does, how it does it, and why it is out of control.
 

AI AND ETHICS (Robert Brice, Ph.D.)
Personhood and accountability in the age of AI.

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Part 2: FRIDAY, APRIL 17 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM

AI AND MEDICINE (Valerie Hardcastle, Ph. D)
Neither Side Knows What It's Doing (That's Actually Good News).
 

AGENTS AND VIBE CODING (Parker Kain, M.A.)
What they mean for all of us.

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Part 3: FRIDAY, APRIL 24 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM

EXPERIENCING AI (Shannon Eastep, M.Ed.)
An informal hands-on session with current tools, guided by 鶹Ӿfaculty and students.

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OUR SPEAKERS

A photo of Kevin Kirby
Kevin Kirby. In addition to being the dean of the 鶹ӾCollege of Informatics, Kevin is the Evan and Lindsay Stein Professor of Biocomputing. His primary research area has been in artificial neural networks, and he won the Mathematical Association of America’s George Polya award for a paper connecting AI to the classical art of memory and the mathematics of quantum mechanics. He has given lectures on AI at a variety of places over the years, including Seoul National University (1991), the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne (2006), and the Cincinnati Woman’s Club (2017). He is a member of the Cincinnati AI Catalyst, and organization whose goal is to make the Cincinnati region a hub for Responsible AI.
A photo of Robert Brice
Robert Brice. Robert holds a PhD in Philosophy from Michigan State University and is a Teaching Professor of Philosophy in the 鶹ӾCollege of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on the later philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and its implications for how we understand certitude. He has published two books on Wittgenstein and is in the final stages of a third, which argues for a “culture-first” approach to sustainability. He will be moderating the inaugural Ethics & Society public conversation series, including an upcoming featured panel entitled, “The Future of Humanity in an AI-Dominated World.” He is currently teaching NKU’s AI and Philosophy of Mind course.
A photo of Dr. Valerie Hardcastle
Valerie Hardcastle. Valerie is the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Executive Director of the 鶹ӾInstitute for Health Innovation and Vice President for Health Innovation. Before coming to 鶹Ӿin 2018, she served at the University of Cincinnati as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and then as the Academic Director of the Weaver Institute for Law and Psychiatry.   Before that she was Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech. An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Hardcastle is the author of five books and over 210 articles. She received an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in cognitive science and philosophy from the University of California, San Diego.
A photo of Parker Kain
Parker Kain. Parker Kain is the Co-Founder of Ascent Data Insights, a Cincinnati-based consulting firm that helps businesses modernize their data infrastructure and put AI to work. With seven years of industry experience spanning Fortune 500 companies to his own startup, Parker has spent his career helping organizations make sense of their data and figure out where AI actually fits. He is a 2019 鶹Ӿgraduate with degrees in Data Science and Statistics. Parker lives in Loveland, OH.
A photo of Shannon Eastep
Shannon Eastep. Shannon is a Teaching Professor and Instructional Technology Coordinator in NKU’s College of Education. With 21 years of experience at NKU, she specializes in leveraging technology to enhance teaching and learning. Shannon has presented at numerous conferences on topics such as online engagement, robotics, course accessibility, and artificial intelligence. She is passionate about integrating artificial intelligence into education and has been invited to speak at area K-12 schools and university workshops on practical strategies for utilizing AI tools in the classroom. She is currently teaching a combined undergraduate and graduate course on AI in Education.

Note: The black-and-white photo at the top left of this page is not real. It was generated by Google Gemini, a free AI tool, with the prompt: "Please produce an image: a b&w photograph of a small liberal arts campus resembling Dartmouth in the 1950s."  (The color photo at the top right is real: Griffin Hall, the home of the 鶹ӾCollege of Informatics, where these lectures will be held.)

 

To view past lectures, please visit the  and the 2025 Agenda Page.

College of Informatics

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