Guest talk by William Regli

How I learned to stop worrying and love AI by William Regli

In Voltaire's Candide, Dr. Pangloss embodies relentless optimism despite the novella's stark portrayal of the human condition, while Martin represents pessimism and cynicism. Similar opposing forces drive current developments in Artificial Intelligence. A Panglossian viewpoint perceives AI as humanity's acquisition of Promethean fire, whereas others foresee existential risks and threats to human safety, privacy, and wellbeing. It is suggested that reality likely lies between these extremes, and that these polarized perspectives stem from a flawed framing of AI-related issues.

This presentation summarizes the author's views on AI, developed through a decade of public service. This experience includes service on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) leadership team in the Defense Sciences Office (2014-2017), founding directorship of the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security, the Department of Defense's university-affiliated research center (UARC) for the social sciences and AI at the University of Maryland (2018-2023), and Senior Advisorship for AI Risk Modeling in the Biden Administration's Office of Science and Technology Policy (2023-2024). The core argument is threefold:

• Current AI narratives are overly technophilic and require reframing, as the most complex challenges are non-technical, concerning AI's interaction with and influence on people and society.
• Unlike physics and engineering, a sufficient scientific understanding of AI's effects on people and society is lacking, hindering the establishment of rigorous engineering practices and management of its use.
• The impacts of AI, operating at various societal levels, will vary in scale, speed, and impact.

Rather than simply observing these problems, the presentation aims to reframe them as socio-technical in nature. It proposes a practical methodology for identifying emerging scientific and engineering questions related to AI's integration with humans and society. The presentation will provide examples of research questions that warrant investigation. Ultimately, it intends to offer a unique perspective on recent AI developments and a concrete approach to addressing these significant emerging challenges.

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Bio

Dr. William Regli is a computer scientist whohas focused his career on interdisciplinary and use-inspired problems spanningartificial intelligence, engineering and manufacturing, and computational modeling.  Dr. Regli’s recent sponsored researchactivities include verification and validation of intelligent systems;intelligent computer networks; and the use of artificial intelligence inadvanced manufacturing.  He has publishedmore than 250 technical articles, created two technology companies (one focusedon mobile communications for public safety, the other on information managementin edge networks), and produced five foundational U.S. Patents in the area of 3DCAD search.

From 2014 to 2017 Regli served on theleadership team of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), asDeputy Director (9/14-12/16) and Acting Director (1/17-7/17) of the DefenseSciences Office (DSO); then as Special Assistant to the DARPA Director (8/17-12/17).  During his tenure, DSO initiated programs inareas as diverse as artificial intelligence, design and manufacturing, social science,applied mathematics, physical sciences and advanced sensing technologies; inhis role leading DSO he advanced the data management and retention plans forthe agency, co-developed the “Disruptioneering” program template, expanded theDARPA Young Faculty Award, and was the Program Chair for the “DARPA 60”anniversary conference (9/2018).   Forhis contributions, Regli received the Award for Excellence for MeritoriousService (2015) from the Undersecretary of Defense (AT&L) and DARPA MeritoriousPublic Service Medal (2017). Regli’s other government service includes as aNational Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST) (1995-1997); as a Scientific Adviser to the U.S.Department of Energy (DoE) in the areas of information technology andmanufacturing (2010-2014;2018-); and as a member of the US Air Force ScientificAdvisory Board (2019-2021; 2022-).  Hiscommunity service currently includes a role on the Computing Research Association(CRA) Computing Community Consortium (CCC) Advisory Board (2021-) as well asseveral editorial boards.  Regli recentlycompleted service as the founding Executive Director (2018-2023) of the Universityof Maryland’s University-Affiliated Research Center for the Department ofDefense: The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS),the chartered DoD academic laboratory for the Intelligence and Securitycommunities.  For part of 2023-2024,Regli served in the Executive Offices of the President (EOP), White HouseOffice of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), as a Senior Advisor for AI Riskfor the National AI Initiatives Office supporting a variety of activities.

Dr. Regli holds a Ph.D. in ComputerScience from the University of Maryland at College Park and Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Mathematics from Saint Joseph's University. He is an elected SeniorMember of both the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and of the Associationfor the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI); and a Fellow of theComputer Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE) for his “contributions to 3D search, design repositories and intelligentmanufacturing”, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement ofScience (AAAS) for “work at the interface between science and governmentprimarily at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.”