On Wednesday, Sept. 25, NBCU Academy hosted the AI Student Innovation Summit in the Conaway Center at 1104 S. Wabash in partnership with Columbia College Chicago, an effort led by Peg Murphy, associate professor in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship and the former chair of the Communication Department, which became part of the School of Communication and Culture in August.
The event was open to college students, including Columbia alumni, graduate students and educators. The AI summit offered attendees a chance to network with executives and recruiters, also providing free food, giveaways and pre-show swag with over 100 guests in attendance.
“I graduate in December, so I’m trying to just gather any experience I can like talking to people within the industry,” said Illinois State University student Khamia Carter. “I’m constantly writing scripts and I wanted to see the proper ethical way to use it in the newsroom.”
Before the live broadcast, in-person attendees had the opportunity to meet and speak with NBCUniversal executives and members of Hello Hive, an online recruiting and hiring platform, to have their resumes reviewed by recruiters. Light refreshments were provided, along with a DJ and interactive photo booth.
The summit began with an introduction from Brian Cheung, NBC News business and data correspondent followed by one-on-one with NBCU News Group EVP of DEI (moderator) Yvette Miley, and president and general manager of NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago, and Columbia alum Kevin Cross. During special remarks, Cross mentioned the importance of how we’re predisposed to technology.
“I believe technology is inevitable, so there’s no sense in running from it,” said Cross. “I think that AI is an opportunity for us to move faster, you still gotta check your work.”
Conversations featuring alum and NBC 5 Chicago anchor and reporter Evrod Cassimy and NBCU Academy Senior Director Sandy Sharp followed with program opportunities and internships offered through NBCUniversal. With over 45 academic partners across the United States, NBCUniversal provides a variety of internships in areas such as production, editorials, breaking news, and digital media. These programs are offered annually throughout the year to give career opportunities to rising media students and graduates.
“The program was launched in 2021 to support academic partners with scholarships and funding for resources including equipment,” said Sharp. They [students] can apply that to what they’re doing in terms of their profession, their curriculum, access and opportunity, access to our executives opportunities to network, level up their skills, and hopefully join our PAC nine for robust careers in our industry.”
In partnership with Comcast’s Project Up, the hybrid portion of the event– offered both in person and virtually, focused on artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on work, journalism and media industries. Each panel was broadcast live, offering the option to do Q&A with both virtual attendees and live audience members at Columbia.
The first panel focused on “AI and the Future of Work” moderated by NBC news business correspondent Brian Cheung. The panel highlighted the impact of AI in the workplace from narrow AI in tasks like calendar management to generative AI in creating content. Ethical considerations such as misinformation about AI tools in the workplace and disinformation surrounding AI as an evolving technology. The panel stressed the importance of understanding AI capabilities and limitations in workplaces including using AI tools for inclusivity and knowledge management.
“Using AI as a Tool” shortly followed with panel experts providing knowledge on crafting AI-driven requests including a live application demonstration.
“I always encourage people to think about it, try a few options and then evaluate them,” said Liam Andrew, lead for the American Journalism Project Technology. “I think AI is just going to continue to be embedded in the research and production practices that we have.”
Panelists discussed specific AI tools like Otter.ai for transcription and Google Pinpoint for document analysis, showcasing their utility in the newsroom. Challenges were also addressed such as language translation, situational awareness and ethical guidelines for AI adoption.
The final panel “AI’s Impact on Journalism” focused on the role of AI in the newsroom while highlighting the importance of human skills in journalism such as critical thinking and storytelling.
“You can’t become over reliant on something that you don’t actually need,” said Frank Holland, CNBC “Worldwide Exchange” anchor, tech & transports correspondent. “There’s no tools to supersede your judgment… there’s no such thing as a shortcut in life, or certainly not in journalism.”
Panelists wrapped up the summit discussing the impact of AI through responsible use and transparency.
The AI Generation Student Innovation Summit offered a practical guide for attendees to uncover career opportunities and apply AI to daily personal tasks. With the rapidly evolving world of AI and digital technology, NBCU Academy equipped attendees with the knowledge behind how AI can redefine professional trajectories.
“The primary goal is to demystify AI and address any concerns or misconceptions surrounding this rapidly evolving technology,” said Essa Yip, NBCU Academy managing editor. “We aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for the jobs of the future, empowering them to thrive in an AI-driven world.”
Copy edited by Vanessa Orozco
Resumen en Español:
En asociación con Comcast Project Up, la Academia de NBCU organizó el evento llamado AI Student Innovation Summit en el Conway Center ubicado en 1104 S. Wabash Ave. el miércoles, 25 de sept., 2024. Abierto a estudiantes universitarios, ex alumnos y educadores, este evento ofreció a los estudiantes oportunidades para revisar sus portafolios y aprender sobre los usos de la inteligencia artificial por parte de los ejecutivos de la industria. Además de oportunidades para establecer contactos durante el almuerzo gratis. “Nuestro objetivo es dotar a los estudiantes de los conocimientos y habilidades necesarios para los trabajos del futuro, capacitándonos para prosperar en un mundo impulsado por la IA,” dijo Essa Yip, editora de la Academia de NBCU.
Resumen en Español por Lizeth Medina
Resumen en Español copia editada por Manuel Nocera
