Video: A Conversation with Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz on AI and Society

On January 16, the Artificial Intelligence Center in Engineering at the University of California, Davis, hosted its inaugural AI distinguished speaker, Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz, for a dynamic discussion on AI and society.

Moderated by UC Davis College of Engineering Associate Dean of Research Raissa D’Souza and attended by more than 200 faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners, the wide-ranging discussion covered topics such as AI ethics, human-AI teaming, AI regulation, the needed partnerships between industry and academia, the future of data centers, digital birthrights and more.

Horvitz has been widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to AI, from foundational probabilistic models to human-AI collaboration frameworks that have been applied to healthcare, transportation, e-commerce, operating systems and aerospace. He currently champions efforts to align AI with societal needs, including incorporating ethics, values and safety into AI applications.  

In recognition of his remarkable contributions to AI, Horvitz is the recipient of the Feigenbaum Prize and the Allen Newell Prize and is a fellow of numerous honorific societies, including the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.