The Visiting Artist and Scholar Program presents Helen Armstrong

Lecture topic: “Walking the A.I. Tightrope”

The Boise State Visiting Artist and Scholar Program is pleased to welcome Helen Armstrong to the Boise State campus, October 13-16. Armstrong is a Professor of Graphic & Experience Design and the Director of the MGXD Program at NC State University. Her research focuses on digital rights, human-machine teaming, and accessible design. Armstrong authored Graphic Design Theory; Digital Design Theory; and co-authored Participate: Designing with User-Generated Content.

Designers stand at the verge of a great professional opportunity: artificial intelligence. This technology enables computers to study the world and make predictions using unstructured data. We can speak to machines—and machines can speak back. We can gesture to devices, expressing emotion and intent, and machines can respond meaningfully. We can look to computers not just for interaction, but for companionship.

Armstrong’s public lecture will explore the nuances of a thoughtful integration of human/AI capabilities via user experience and user interface design. We will touch on interrogating systems, leveraging the strengths of both the human and the AI, as well as dialing up and down levels of automation. Ultimately, we will consider how designers can build Gen AI-fueled systems that help people arrive at new— previously unimaginable— human/AI insights.

This event is free and open to the public.