22 Feb Hagerott talks AI with local business leaders at 1 Million Cups event
BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota University System (NDUS) Chancellor Mark Hagerott was the featured speaker at the weekly 1 Million Cups Bismarck-Mandan forum on Wednesday. Hagerott was invited to share his thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative effects on education, government, business and industry while presenting to attendees at Dakota Stage.
Hagerott previously has served on the faculty of the U.S. Naval Academy as a historian of technology, a distinguished professor and the deputy director for the Center for Cyber Security Studies. He also served as a White House Fellow and studied at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. His research and writing focused on the evolution of technology and education.
During his presentation in Bismarck, Hagerott shared insight about the NDUS and North Dakota State Board of Higher Education Envision 2035 process, in which representatives from academia, local government and the private sector plan for the future of higher education and preparing students for success in the workforce. He said that AI will affect all sectors of society, including some of North Dakota’s major industries like energy and agriculture.
“AI is here and it is going to dramatically change things,” Hagerott said. “It’s going to change healthcare, the entertainment world, create incredible wealth, but it will also bring social, governmental and even mental health challenges. And as massive investment continues in AI, North Dakota needs to start thinking ahead about how it will invest in data infrastructure to ensure our state does not get left behind.”
In addition to discussing the origins of AI and digitization, Hagerott proposed a whole-of-government approach to storing data and building a large language learning model for North Dakota’s education system, government and private industry. The initiative would better secure the state’s information and preserve its autonomy, he said.
Hagerott’s entire presentation is viewable at facebook.com/1MillionCupsND
According to its website, 1 Million Cups is a dynamic platform designed to engage, educate and connect entrepreneurs in communities across the globe. The weekly event brings together local entrepreneurs to present their startups in a supportive and welcoming environment.
Later in the day, Hagerott also participated in a national webinar, which was facilitated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology’s NICE Program. He and several other panelists were asked to address “Expanding Cybersecurity Learning and Workforce Opportunities for Rural Americans.”
The panel discussed how rural areas still are experiencing challenges regarding limited broadband access, limited access to quality education and training, sparse job opportunities, lack of economic diversity and transportation or community barriers.
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