John Etchemendy: How can we get the most from artificial intelligence?

Read more: The co-director of Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence discusses how AI can reach its potential to enhance human capabilities and enrich human lives. Stanford’s former provost John Etchemendy, a philosopher by training, discusses how the logical and ethical skills of his academic discipline are needed to shape the future of artificial intelligence. In his own words, he wants to maximize the good AI can deliver, while minimizing the bad outcomes that could result as this powerful technology evolves. To achieve that goal, Etchemendy helped found and now co-directs the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), an interdisciplinary team of experts from across Stanford. They aim to influence and guide the future of AI by augmenting Stanford’s leadership in AI, computer science, engineering and robotics with expertise from medicine, law, social sciences and the humanities. Etchemendy says his goal is to ensure that AI