Technology, Disinformation, and Verification: Dangers & Solutions​

5:15-6:15 p.m. Networking 6:15-7:30 p.m. Presentation 7:30-7:45 p.m. Q&A ​8:00 p.m. Networking at Trifecta

Speakers Jay Boisseau, Executive Director, Austin Forum on Technology & Society and CEO, Vizias Sarah Brandt,  EVP Partnerships, NewsGuard ​Art Markman, Professor of Psychology, UT Austin ​Inga Trauthig, Head of Research, Propagranda Research Lab at the Center for Media Engagement at UT Austin Lindsay Walker, Product Lead, Starling Lab for Data Integrity

Event Summary ​ Misinformation and, more worryingly, disinformation, will always be concerns and dangers as long as humans have competing interests and motivations, but technologies have greatly enabled their reach and influence. Smartphones and social media platforms enable essentially everyone to accidentally (misinformation) or intentionally (disinformation) share false information widely--instantly. Generative AI presents great promise for useful work but is itself at risk of misinformation (hallucinations), and can be used to quickly create compelling disinformation--text, audio, images, and even video--that subvert our human inclinations to trust our eyes and ears. Combining quick, compelling generation of false information with quick, widespread sharing of it is a recipe for fueling polarization, and even conflict. Can technologies also come to the rescue and help simplify and even automate the identification of misinformation and disinformation, thus educating and promoting understanding, knowledge, and useful dialogue? How can you, and your business or organization, contribute to better practices and even better technologies to mitigate these dangers and their impact on your life, work, and society? Join us as Austin Forum executive director Jay Boisseau interviews a panel of experts in technologies, communications, and human behavior to shine a light on the growing risks and dangers, but also on the current best efforts and desired future solutions to improve accuracy and verification! As an added bonus Art Markman will be signing copies of his book "Smart Thinking, Smart Change, Brain Briefs, and Bring Your Brain to Work" before and after the event!