Agnes Scott to launch yearlong symposium on living well with AI

Agnes Scott College will launch a yearlong symposium this fall exploring what it means to live well in an age of artificial intelligence, bringing together students, faculty, staff and the broader community to examine how AI is reshaping human agency, well-being and purpose.

The symposium, “Living Well with AI — Exploring Prospects for Human Flourishing,” is the 2026-27 installment of the college’s Kirk Philosophy Lecture Series, according to a release from the college.

“Rather than asking whether machines can replicate human intelligence, the series poses a different question: As artificial agents increasingly stand in for search engines, teachers, therapists, friends and even romantic partners, how should people think about autonomy, freedom, authenticity and psychological well-being?”

This fall, Agnes Scott is also rolling out its Universal AI initiative, a three-part curriculum embedded in the first-year experience that ensures every student develops foundational AI literacy, regardless of major.

While Universal AI equips students to engage AI critically and ethically from day one, the symposium extends that mission to the wider community.

“This symposium exemplifies how liberal arts faculty and students show up to conversations — with curiosity, critical thinking and collaborative instincts,” said Rachel Bowser, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Agnes Scott has been committed to advancing critical conversations for more than a century. I’m proud of our faculty and students for consistently stepping into new collaborations.”

The symposium features speakers from the fields of journalism, developmental psychology, moral philosophy, computational neuroscience and clinical psychology:

• Opening keynote, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m. : Karen Hao, journalist and author of “Empire of AI,” will deliver “Dreams & Nightmares in the Empire of AI,” examining systems of power in AI development and prospects for democratic governance and data sovereignty.
• Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.: Robyn Fivush of Emory University will present “Family Storytelling and Adolescent Well-being in an AI World,” exploring how AI can help or hinder the storytelling practices that build resilience in young people.
• Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.: John Lysaker of Emory University will present “The Content of Our Character,” on moral growth and integrity amid growing human-AI interaction. 5 p.m. Feb. 11: Paul B. Sharp of Bar-Ilan University will present “Why We Worry the Way We Do,” using AI combined with individual life histories to explain the nature of repetitive thoughts.
• March 25 at 5 p.m.: Joel G. Thomas of Agnes Scott College will present “Relational Agency in the Age of AI,” examining how people build meaning psychologically and what that means for relating to AI as a friend or therapist.
• Concluding keynote: April 2027, date to be announced.

Thomas, assistant professor of psychology, and Hal Thorsrud, professor of philosophy at Agnes Scott, co-created the symposium. Both are 2026-27 fellows with the Center for Liberal Arts and AI at the University of Richmond, where their fellowship focuses on access and power in the development and use of artificial intelligence.

Together, the Universal AI curriculum and the Living Well with AI symposium reflect the college’s position that engaging AI thoughtfully — not simply adopting it — is central to a liberal arts education.

Sessions are free and open to the public. The opening keynote will be offered in a hybrid format, with in-person and virtual attendance options via Zoom; Hao will join virtually.

For a full schedule, speaker biographies and registration details, visit the symposium website.

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