Author and researcher, Dora Kaufman will address practical implications of artificial intelligence and its limits

By going beyond the technological area and the corridors of universities, being widely used in the most diverse areas of work, entertainment and leisure, artificial intelligence (AI) has ceased to be a merely technical topic. Currently, there is a great debate about the ethical and social impacts of the use of this technology. In Brazil, Dora Kaufman leads these discussions in the academic field and in the literature. The specialist has confirmed her presence at the RNP Forum 2024, which will take place in Brasília, from August 27 to 29.

A professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP), with a PhD in Digital Media from the School of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo (ECA/USP) and Université Paris Sorbonne IV, Kaufman became a recognized public voice on the subject by presenting her ideas in two books that address the practical side of AI: Will Artificial Intelligence Overtake Human Intelligence? (2019) and Demystifying Artificial Intelligence (2022).

“Eight years ago, I thought that AI would change the world, and so I decided to dedicate myself to studying this technology. In parallel with the ethical impacts of AI, I need to study the technology itself. Understanding how AI systems and models work seems essential to me to assess their real social impacts”, says the author.

“Eight years ago, I thought that AI would change the world, and so I decided to dedicate myself to studying this technology. In parallel with the ethical impacts of AI, I need to study the technology itself. Understanding how AI systems and models work seems essential to me to assess their real social impacts”, says the author.

In her work, the expert explains that, like coal, electricity and computing, AI has the power to reconfigure the economy and society because the main matrix of its functioning is data. For her, this leads to greater care due to the massive automation generated by this technology, which brings the need for regulatory control so that the ethical and social effects do not become worrying.

“One of the main challenges is AI literacy. The technology and its models are relatively complex and adopting them responsibly requires knowledge of their logic and operation. Managers need to be trained to interact appropriately with AI solution providers”, she argues.

“One of the main challenges is AI literacy. The technology and its models are relatively complex and adopting them responsibly requires knowledge of their logic and operation. Managers need to be trained to interact appropriately with AI solution providers”, she argues.

According to Kaufman, knowing how to choose the best solution, asking the right questions, assessing risks and how to mitigate them, using technology in classroom activities and in the management of any institution are some of the components that add complexity to AI.

For her lecture at the RNP Forum, on August 27, the Brazilian researcher expects to bring the ethical and social debate of AI to the field of education, exploring how students and teachers can consciously appropriate artificial intelligence.

“There are, without a doubt, benefits and points of attention surrounding the adoption of this technology in education. I want to contribute significantly to the understanding and strategic use of AI”, she reinforces.

“There are, without a doubt, benefits and points of attention surrounding the adoption of this technology in education. I want to contribute significantly to the understanding and strategic use of AI”, she reinforces.

How to register for the RNP Forum
Dora Kaufman will be one of the main speakers at the RNP Forum, which will feature other speakers on AI and several leading experts in technology and education. To register for the event for free and watch the lectures online, simply visit the official website, provide personal information and confirm your participation. Anyone wishing to attend the event, at the Royal Tulip hotel in Brasília, will need to pay the registration fee. Check out more details here.