ACLS convenes experts for Nov. 13 panel on AI and humanistic inquiry

Virtual Panel Presented by the ACLS Delegates 

NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) will host a virtual discussion panel, "AI and Humanistic Inquiry: Scholarship, Ethics, and Knowledge in the Age of AI," on Friday, November 13, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM ET. This cross-disciplinary session will examine the expanding role of artificial intelligence and its implications for scholarship, focusing on questions of access, representation, and the changing production of knowledge.

Prospective attendees may register now for this free public event.

As the global debate regarding the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence continues, academic fields are navigating how these technologies influence humanistic inquiry. This virtual panel explores whether the humanities and social sciences are facing systemic risks or are positioned for a new era of advancement. The conversation will specifically address the ethical dimensions of data research, publication, and the evolving ways scholarship is shared and valued in an innovation-driven society.

Expert perspectives on technology and society

The event features a group of scholars whose research bridges the gap between traditional inquiry and technological innovation:

• Dr. Sylvester A. Johnson (Northwestern University): The 2024 Kluge Chair in Technology and Society at the Library of Congress, whose work examines race, religion, and technology to advance democratic and inclusive outcomes.
• Dr. Joan McGregor (Arizona State University): Director of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, she focuses on integrating civic and moral virtues into public university curricula and social philosophy.
• Dr. Kenton Rambsy (Howard University): A Data Storytelling Specialist and founder of the Black Data Lab, who utilizes data to reveal patterns of cultural visibility across African American literature.

Dr. Carlos Contreras, Professor of History at Grossmont College and Chair of the ACLS Executive Committee of Delegates, will moderate the discussion.

This event is presented by the ACLS Delegates.

About ACLS

Formed more than a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 86 scholarly organizations. As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, ACLS upholds the core principle that knowledge is a public good. In supporting its member organizations, ACLS expands the forms, content, and flow of scholarly knowledge, reflecting our commitment to diversity of identity and experience. ACLS collaborates with institutions, associations, and individuals to strengthen the evolving infrastructure for scholarship.

SOURCE American Council of Learned Societies