AI Alignment and Control: Risks as AI Surpasses Human Abilities

About this event

A free, 90-minute online workshop—no technical background needed AI is no longer just getting better at narrow tasks. Today's systems can write, code, reason through problems, and increasingly take actions on their own, and AI is starting to move into the physical world through robotics. Many researchers believe we are heading toward AI that matches or exceeds human abilities across a wide range of areas. That raises two of the most important questions in AI today. Can we make sure these systems actually do what we intend (alignment)? And can we keep the ability to oversee, correct, or stop them as they become more capable (control)? This workshop explains these ideas in plain English, without hype or jargon, and looks at what they could mean for your job, your relationships, and your day-to-day life. Together, we'll explore questions like: • Smarter-than-human AI: What would it mean for AI to outperform people across most tasks, and how is that different from today's AI tools? • Alignment: Why is it so hard to make sure an AI system pursues the goals we actually want, and what happens when it doesn't? • Control: How do researchers try to monitor and correct AI systems, and why might that get harder as AI becomes more capable? • Work and daily life: Which jobs are already being automated or transformed, and how is AI starting to fill roles once held by coworkers, tutors, therapists, and companions? What you'll get: • A clear, beginner-friendly introduction to AI alignment and control, and why they matter • Real-world examples of how AI is already reshaping work and social life • Live demos that highlight both impressive capabilities and emerging risks • Interactive discussion and exercises to test your own intuitions about the future Come ready to grapple with one of the biggest transitions humanity may ever face, a shift that could redefine how we work, how we relate to each other, and who stays in control.