Ben Vinson III, the leader of Howard University, made a persuasive appeal for artificial intelligence to be “crafted with intelligence,” as he presented MIT’s annual Karl Taylor Compton Lecture on campus Monday.
The extensive address raised a series of probing questions regarding our human values and behaviors, and was underpinned by the assertion that, as Vinson stated, “Technological advancement must aid humanity, and not the reverse.”
During his address, Vinson shared insights about our self-perception as rational creatures; the implications of technological revolutions on human roles, employment, and society; as well as the principles and ethics we wish our lives and communal ties to embody.
“Philosophers like Cicero contend that the fulfilling life revolves around the pursuit of virtue and knowledge,” Vinson stated. “Can AI enhance our quest for virtue and knowledge? Does it threaten to automate essential components of human contemplation? In a world that increasingly relies on AI for judgment and creative expression, and even moral reasoning, does that represent a more evolved society? Or does it signify a quiet relinquishment of human autonomy?”
Vinson’s address, entitled “AI in an Age After Reason: A Discourse on Fundamental Human Questions,” was presented to a large audience at MIT’s Samberg Conference Center.
He also put forth that universities can act as an “intellectual compass” in the evolution of AI, injecting realism and precision into the dialogue and “distinguishing genuine risks from unfounded fears, ensuring that AI is neither vilified nor uncritically embraced but developed thoughtfully, with moral guidance, and with societal adaptation.”
The Compton lecture series was established in 1957, in remembrance of Karl Taylor Compton, who held the position of MIT’s ninth president from 1930 to 1948 and served as chair of the MIT Corporation from 1948 to 1954.
In her opening comments, MIT President Sally A. Kornbluth noted that Compton “facilitated the Institute’s transformation from a remarkable technical institution for training practical engineers to a truly distinguished global university. A distinguished physicist, President Compton introduced a renewed emphasis on fundamental scientific inquiry, making science an equal collaborator with engineering at MIT.”
Moreover, Kornbluth mentioned, “during the war, he aided in forming a partnership between the federal government and America’s research universities.”
In introducing Vinson, Kornbluth portrayed him as an educational leader who embodies a “wonderful sense of vigor, optimism, and progress.”
Vinson took the helm at Howard University in September 2023, after having served as provost and executive vice president of Case Western Reserve University; dean of George Washington University’s Columbian College of Arts and Sciences; and vice dean for centers, interdisciplinary studies, and graduate education at Johns Hopkins University. A historian focused on the African diaspora in Latin America, Vinson is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former president of the American Historical Association.
Drawing from history, Vinson posited that AI holds the potential to significantly impact society and the economy, even if it may not fully deliver on all the advancements it is expected to bring.
“It acts as a Rorschach test for society’s deepest aspirations and fears,” Vinson remarked regarding AI. “Optimists view it as a revolution in productivity and a leap in human evolution, while pessimists caution against mass surveillance, bias, job displacement, and even existential threats. The truth, as history implies, will likely lie somewhere in the middle. AI is likely to progress through a cycle of inflated hopes, disenchantment, and ultimately practical realization.”
Nevertheless, Vinson indicated there are notable distinctions between AI and some prior technological advancements — including the industrial revolution, the electrical revolution, and the digital revolution.
“Unlike earlier technologies that extended human labor, AI directly targets cognitive processes, creativity, judgment, and even emotional intelligence,” Vinson stated.
In every instance, Vinson emphasized that individuals should engage actively in discussions about the profound impacts technological evolution may have on society: “AI transcends mere technological advancement; it pertains to power, justice, and the essence of what it means to be human.”
Multiple times, Vinson redirected his comments towards the theme of education and AI’s influence. Howard, recognized as one of the nation’s premier historically Black colleges and universities, has recently obtained an R1 designation as a university with a very high level of research activity. Concurrently, it has thriving disciplines in the humanities and social sciences that rely on individual insight and inquiry.
However, Vinson questioned, if AI ultimately succeeds in displacing some aspects of humanistic scholarship, “Does a world with diminished humanities genuinely represent human progress?”
Overall, Vinson proposed that as AI progresses, we bear the obligation to engage with its advancements and possibilities while preserving fundamental human values.
“Let’s navigate this transformative era with increased wisdom, foresight, and an unwavering commitment to the common good,” Vinson declared. “This is not merely a technological epoch; it represents a moment that demands a form of intellectual bravery and moral imagination. Working together, we can forge an AI future that honors the dignity of all and simultaneously promotes the ideals of humanity itself.”