The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites you to join leading researchers, industry innovators, policymakers, and practitioners for its inaugural AI for Public Good Conference, a one-day gathering focused on how artificial intelligence can be responsibly designed, governed, and deployed to advance societal well-being.
The conference is co-chaired by UNC’s Vice Provost for Artificial Intelligence and Chief AI Officer Jeffrey A. Bardzell, UNC’s Vice Chancellor for Research Penny Gordon-Larsen, and Founder of Galleon Strategies and AI industry leader Marina Carreker. It will highlight UNC’s leadership where AI converges with biomedical discovery, clinical care, risk and decision science, and the arts.
Plenary sessions will include a fireside conversation featuring Ronnie Chatterji, Chief Economist at OpenAI, and Thompson Paine, Head of Geopolitics at Anthropic, as well as a discussion with UNC researchers about how they are applying AI at scale to accelerate discovery, improve health, and strengthen resilience across society.
The conference also will include remarks from UNC Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein. Lunch will feature a conversation between UNC’s new provost Magnus Egerstedt and North Carolina Treasurer Brad Briner that will showcase how AI is being used to benefit the state.
Afternoon breakout sessions and a closing plenary will examine how AI research, governance, and implementation can be aligned to serve the public good.
- Application that saves and improves lives: Applied AI in health and life sciences, environmental and coastal systems, and risk analytics, translating data into scalable solutions for complex societal challenges.
- Implementing AI in Practice – Culture Change and the Workplace: A focused exploration of how organizations move from experimentation to adoption, with insights from UNC Health and industry leaders on shifting workplace culture, workflows, and shared values to support responsible AI use.
- Creativity and the Next Generation: The role of AI in the arts, innovation, and talent development, including hands-on engagement and demonstration.
- Responsible AI and Governance: Approaches to accountability, transparency, and oversight that help institutions navigate ethical risk, regulatory uncertainty, and public trust in AI systems.
The program includes a luncheon keynote conversation, closing reflections, and an evening reception, creating space for partnership-building. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape research and governance, the AI for Public Good Conference reflects UNC-Chapel Hill’s leadership role in shaping the interdisciplinary conversation about AI as a force for positive societal change.
