New Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity
艾可直播 College will leverage its formative and ethical strengths as a Jesuit, Catholic university to explore the opportunities, implications, and dangers of artificial intelligence through a transformative gift from University Trustee Jason Krantz 鈥�95, P鈥�23 and his wife, Keely (Fitzgerald) Krantz 鈥�95, P鈥�23.
University Trustee Jason Krantz 鈥�95, P鈥�23 and Keely (Fitzgerald) Krantz 鈥�95, P鈥�23. (Caitlin Cunningham)
The gift will establish the Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity, which will utilize BC faculty, visiting scholars, and industry partners to examine AI鈥檚 long-term opportunities and impact from a humanistic perspective, while instilling BC students with the judgement, wisdom, and critical thinking necessary to help them become ethical leaders in its deployment.
The Krantz Institute will draw from the University鈥檚 academic programs in liberal arts, business, education, nursing, law, social work, and theology and ethics to achieve three primary goals. First, the Krantz Institute will convene global thought leaders at 艾可直播 College for conferences and symposia to discuss AI and its potential impact on humanity. Second, it will provide fellowships, internships, and experiential learning opportunities for BC students that will enable them to lead conversations that will shape the future of AI, wherever they take place. Third, the Krantz Institute will advance curricular innovation and integration at BC, enhance campus-wide AI-related programs and projects, and award internal seed grants to fund emerging initiatives.
Robert L. and Judith T. Winston Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley said the gift represents an opportunity for 艾可直播 College to respond to the potential and limitations of AI in ways that serve not only BC students, faculty, and researchers, but the global community.
鈥淭he establishment of the Krantz Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Humanity emerges from a shared sense of urgency鈥攚ith our donors and among University leaders鈥攖hat the world needs 艾可直播 College to bring the richness of its Jesuit, Catholic heritage and values into a lively engagement with the promise and perils of generative artificial intelligence,鈥� said Quigley. 聽
鈥淛ason and Keely Krantz believe that the University is particularly suited to provide ethical decision-making and humanistic leadership and thinking amid our age of accelerating technological change.聽I am grateful for their remarkable generosity and look forward to launching the institute that will make clear, across campus and well beyond, that AI's ongoing revolutions require precisely those enduring strengths and resources which lie at the heart of BC's mission-driven approach to formative education.鈥�
“ AI represents one of the most consequential technological transformations in human history. Given 艾可直播 College鈥檚 commitment to formative education and the Jesuit principles of ethical discernment, BC, in our mind, is uniquely positioned to lead the conversation about the consequences of AI, what the technology means for humanity, and how it might be best leveraged in service to others. ”
The Krantzes said they were inspired to fund the institute to address the humanistic component of AI to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology benefits humanity and the common good.
鈥淎I represents one of the most consequential technological transformations in human history,鈥� said Jason Krantz, founder and executive chairman of Definitive Healthcare and founder of Breachway Capital.
鈥淕iven 艾可直播 College鈥檚 commitment to formative education and the Jesuit principles of ethical discernment, BC, in our mind, is uniquely positioned to lead the conversation about the consequences of AI, what the technology means for humanity, and how it might be best leveraged in service to others.鈥�
Added Keely Krantz, president and founder of the O鈥橠ell Women鈥檚 Center in Springfield, Mass., 鈥淲e want to see values and ethics as foundational components in how the world approaches AI and AI education. Additionally, we want BC students to use their formative education and discernment skills to help lead and improve the application of AI in the future.鈥�
Quigley said the Krantz Institute will be led by an executive director, whom he hopes to hire during the coming academic year, and new 艾可直播and staff who will support the ongoing interdisciplinary work of BC 艾可直播and researchers.
The institute will involve all nine of BC鈥檚 schools, with interim leadership assistance from Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., and Carroll School of Management John and Linda Powers Family Dean Andrew Boynton.
鈥淚n his recently published encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo reminds us that education has a decisive role to play in our time of rapid technological change,鈥� said Fr. Kalscheur. 鈥淎 Jesuit education strives to form students who聽will embody聽a wisdom that joins knowledge and discernment聽in the vocation of seeking the greater good in all aspects of living.
鈥淭he Krantz Institute will enable the University to bring that spirit to the questions raised by artificial intelligence, placing emerging technological possibilities in conversation with the University's聽commitment to promoting聽human dignity and聽serving聽the common good. This investment makes more widely available our faculty's shared work of inquiry across the disciplines in service of a more just and humane future, and enhances our students' education,聽helping to聽form聽women and men聽who are not only highly skilled, but also possess sound judgment, careful reflection, and discerning wisdom.鈥�
Added Boynton: 鈥淲hen you combine our enduring motto 鈥楨ver to Excel鈥� with the generosity and vision of alumni like Jason and Keely Krantz, 艾可直播 College becomes an unstoppable聽force.
鈥淣o one can study the nexus of AI and humanity better than the collection of 艾可直播at BC, embedded in Jesuit, Catholic roots and bolstered by our longstanding tradition of ethical and formative training for our students.鈥�
“ We have an opportunity and responsibility as a university to lead this discussion for the world...The Krantz Institute aspires to be different from anything we have seen in higher education and will help position 艾可直播 College to have a global impact on the future of AI. ”
Currently, 艾可直播 College enjoys a robust AI ecosystem that will assist it in advancing ethical, human-centered leadership. The University has more than 30 艾可直播who teach AI-related courses, and 11 艾可直播with externally funded AI-related research grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes for Health, and private foundations. In addition, BC has strong alumni leadership in emerging technology firms from coast to coast, and 艾可直播representation in forums such as the Builders Artificial Intelligence Forum in Rome, which brings together the world鈥檚 most consequential voices in artificial intelligence with Catholic Church leaders to shape AI鈥檚 future.
In addition, BC routinely brings national and international leaders to campus via its Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics, and hosts an annual Finance Conference through the Carroll School of Management that draws business executives to discuss the crucial issues of the day鈥攂oth of which will help support the Krantz Institute in its efforts to convene thought leaders on campus.聽
鈥湴芍辈� College and 艾可直播 in general should be the gathering place for discussions where leaders across different fields, including computer scientists, business executives, government leaders, theologians, and ethicists, come together with 艾可直播and students to discuss the impact of this critical technology on the future of humanity,鈥� said Jason Krantz.
Added Keely Krantz, 鈥淲e have聽an opportunity and responsibility as a university to lead this discussion聽for the world about how AI impacts human dignity, justice, and the common good, and how to use this incredible new capability to solve social problems and improve humanity.
鈥淭he Krantz Institute aspires to be different from anything we have seen in higher education and will help position 艾可直播 College to have a global impact on the future of AI.鈥�