AI conference at USM explores possibilities and potential pitfalls

PORTLAND, Maine — The University of Southern Maine hosted its first-ever Artificial Intelligence and Digital Science Conference, bringing together educators, industry leaders, and curious minds to explore the transformative power and potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

“People have a lot of concerns,” Ashanthi Maxworth, an assistant professor in electrical engineering at USM and the conference’s organizer, said Friday. “Students are writing papers using AI without learning anything. Should we just hire ChatGPT rather than hiring a human? Things like that.”

Maxworth, who is optimistic about AI’s potential, explained why she allows her students to use the technology in her classes. 

“This is a tool that you can use when you go into the workforce,” she explained. “We cannot avoid them using it. So, use it, get a handle on it.” 

However, she warned it’s best to trust the human brain more than artificial intelligence. 

“There’s a difference between intelligence and wisdom,” she added. “AI is knowledgeable, but AI doesn’t have the wisdom—only humans do.”

Attendees shared a variety of perspectives, reflecting the wider societal debate over how AI should be integrated into education, industry, and everyday life.

Tom Lanigra works for a Westbrook company that builds custom automated assembly machines. Lanigra said his company is exploring the use of AI and attended to the conference hoping to gain insight.

“[I’m] hoping to learn where the technology is going, what potential benefits there are for industry—specifically for us,” Lanigra said. “Can it help us leverage that knowledge base that we have 30 years of?”

Maxworth noted that part of the challenge with AI is addressing its limitations. She cautioned that AI is “still learning,” just like her students. She urged participants to think critically about how much to rely on the technology, especially as its applications expand into sensitive areas like education and the workforce.