Artificial Intelligence: Should we be Afraid of it? With Austin Jenkins 

Artificial Intelligence has existed for decades. But recent advances in generative AI have thrust the technology into the mainstream. Suddenly, it seems AI is everywhere. But what exactly is it? How and where is AI being used? Should we embrace it or avoid it? How should AI be regulated? And what does it mean for our future? In this presentation, Olympia-based journalist Austin Jenkins will be our guide as we explore the fast-emerging role of AI in modern life and its implications – from companion chatbots to deepfakes to pricing algorithms and more.

Austin Jenkins covers AI policy for Pluribus News, a digital news site focused on emerging policy trends in states and legislatures. Austin is also the longtime host of “Inside Olympia” on TVW, Washington State’s C-SPAN network. Previously, Austin spent nearly two decades covering the Washington State legislature and state politics for Northwest NPR stations. Prior to that, Austin worked as a television news reporter. He earned his B.A. in government from Connecticut College and his Master’s in Communication from the Communication Leadership program at the University of Washington. Austin is a proud inductee of the University of Washington’s School of Communication Hall of Fame.