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Calling all Writers!Good Systems researchers are studying how media representations shape the public’s understanding of thesocial benefits and ills of artificial intelligence (https://bridgingbarriers.utexas.edu/projects/bad-ai-and-beyond-exploring-how-popular-media-shape-the-perceived-opportunities-and-threats-of-ai/).We’re looking for undergraduate and graduate students to craft short narratives that push beyond standardrepresentations of sentient killer robots or helpful droids and instead grapple with the potential benefits or harmsof AI that are actually emerging today. We’re starting to see this kind of work emerge in journalism, television, and high-concept science fiction — inbooks like Safiya Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression and Annalee Newitz’s Autonomous to TV series like BlackMirror — and we’re curious to see what our writers here at UT can come up with.   Our project will unfold in three phases. Here’s how it works:Phase 1: Pitch a ConceptUse this online form (https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bgwUQFJE5mcBChn) to submit a pitch for awriting project in one of these three categories: A work of short fiction (short story, a film treatment, or a sketch for a longer work)A researched work of creative non-fiction (reportage, memoir, or personal essay)A script or sketch for a theatrical conceptIn 500 words or less, summarize your idea and argue for the interest of what you’d like to contribute. The entryform asks you to forecast the scope of your project and to specify how your project will explore or educate anaudience about one or more of AI’s social benefits or drawbacks and how you plan to execute it.If you’re looking for inspiration, try here (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/13/science-fiction-doesnt-have-to-be-dystopian), here, (https://medium.com/good-systems/https-medium-com-good-systems-tim-hwang-3c0a17ebcf6b) and here (https://medium.com/good-systems/governments-ai-memo-overlooks-two-(https://bridgingbarriers.utexas.edu)critical-issues-24708abf32b0). You may find some accounts of how AI is already affecting our society and of whatits potential benefits and dangers may be.  We’ll begin reviewing entries May 15  and will continue until we have enough entries to work with. The firstfive promising pitches in each category will be awarded $25 in the form of an Amazon gift card. NOTE: For students interested in producing a short video instead, please refer to these guidelines(https://t.e2ma.net/message/sxycgh/857tf2). Phase 2: Enter ProductionThe five most promising projects across all three categories will be selected to receive up to $500 eachin development funding. (Awards will be made based on the genre, merit, and ambition of the proposals.) As partof the conditions of these awards, winners will agree to submit a rough draft of their projects by July 15 and afinal version by August 15, 2020.  Phase 3: Exhibit Your Work Our Good Systems subproject Bad AI and Beyond (https://bridgingbarriers.utexas.edu/projects/bad-ai-and-beyond-exploring-how-popular-media-shape-the-perceived-opportunities-and-threats-of-ai/) will be sponsoring asymposium in the Fall 2020, bringing together academic speakers, industry insiders, and creatives to discusshow media representations shape popular perceptions of AI. Selected works that have been awardedfunding through this process will be featured at this event. We look forward to your submissions!  More about Good SystemsWe use artificial intelligence technologies to entertain us, communicate, get places faster, make predictions,swipe left or right, protect our homes, drive more safely, and solve complex problems quickly and easily. AI ischanging the way we do everything because it’s everywhere — from dating apps to the most advanced militaryweapons systems.  So how can we ensure that AI is beneficial to humanity, not detrimental? How can we develop technology thatmakes life better for all of us, not just some?  thGood Systems (https://goodsystems.utexas.edu/) is the third and final research grand challenge at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin. Grand challenges are “moonshot goals,” referring to President John F. Kennedy’s1961 commitment to land humans on the moon. These challenges are audacious, risky, and might fail, but theyattempt to tackle issues that are too important and urgent to ignore. Our goal is to find a way to evaluate and design ethical AI technologies that protect and improve our world —then to share that process. To do this, our team brings students and researchers together from computerscience, philosophy, engineering, information science, communications and journalism, business, and the arts.Each of these perspectives is needed as we think about what it means to be “good” and to envision a way todevelop AI-based technologies that consider human values at their core.W E  N E E D  Y O U R  S U P P O R TWe’re committed to harnessing the talent, passion, and expertise of researchers from all disciplines at UTto tackle some of humanity’s biggest challenges.B R I D G I N G  B A R R I E R SSupport Planet Texas 2050 (https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/utgiving/online/nlogon/?menu=VRPT)Support Whole Communities–Whole Health (https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/utgiving/online/nlogon/?menu=VRCH)Support Good Systems (https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/utgiving/online/nlogon/?menu=VRGS)Office of the Vice President for Research (https://research.utexas.edu/)Bridging Barriers Concept Papers (https://research.utexas.edu/bb/concept-papers)U T  L I N K SUT Home (https://www.utexas.edu/)Emergency Information (https://emergency.utexas.edu/)Site Policies (https://www.utexas.edu/site-policies)Web Accessibility Policy (http://www.utexas.edu/web-accessibility-policy)Web Privacy Policy (http://www.utexas.edu/web-privacy-policy)D O N AT E (https://bridgingbarriers.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/logo-tag-grey.svg)© The University of Texas at Austin 2020

Calling all Writers!

https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/2152/83796/2/Calling%20all%20Writers%21%20-%20Bridging%20Barriers.pdf

Calling all Writers!

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