Multigenerational Conversation on Implications of AI Technology
Intergenerational engagement was evident through the You, Me & AI: A Multigenerational Conversation On Mental Health, Bias & Digital Inclusion workshop on Wednesday, May 22nd, at the Woburn Public Library. The public workshop was offered through the Leaders for an Equitable Tomorrow (LET) program and hosted by Social Capital Inc., the Network For Social Justice, Joint Family, and the Woburn Public Library.
Welcoming over 25 attendees of various age groups and backgrounds, the event was filled with an eagerness to explore generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) as well as its potential to transform communities, impact relationships, and affect various sectors, including mental health and social justice. During the workshop, groups discussed topics related to AI including Loneliness & AI Companions, Trust & Consent, Mental Health & AI Therapists, AI Bias & Stereotypes, and Digital Inclusion & Technology for the Good. The small group discussions provided a space for participants to share their specific concerns and interests related to the potential of GenAI.
Leading the facilitation of You, Me & AI was interdisciplinary scientist Dr. Sulagna “Dia” Ghosh, who is also the founder of Joint Family. Joint Family utilizes an intergenerational family model to foster spaces for individuals from diverse backgrounds and ages to collaboratively learn, innovate, and contribute towards socially impactful outcomes. This is often achieved through Joint Family’s workshops and discussions hosted across Greater Boston.
Through engaging activities that involved identifying content created by GenAI, the audience quickly became amazed and skeptical about the rapidly evolving technology and its potential. “It is important to be careful before trusting what you think you see,” one participant shared after the event. Although guests left the workshop with varying degrees of optimism and pessimism towards AI, many expressed interest in continuing their engagement with AI and learning how they can utilize it in their daily lives.
The LET program is a joint initiative of SCI and Network for Social Justice (NFSJ) that seeks to advance mental health awareness and engagement among youth within, and beyond, Winchester and Woburn through a focus on the intersection of mental health and social justice. Funding for LET is provided by Winchester Hospital Community Benefits. Joint Family and the Woburn Public Library are joining SCI and NFSJ as partners for this important workshop.
