At the United Nations' Summer Program, a Computer Science Student Delves into the Morals of Artificial Intelligence
Wisdom Obinna's Journey: Bridging Tech and Global Governance
Wisdom Obinna, a Ph.D. student in computer science at Georgetown University, recently participated in the Graduate Study Programme (GSP) at the United Nations Office in Geneva. This intensive two-week summer seminar provides a unique opportunity for doctoral students to immerse themselves in the world of international affairs.
The programme offers morning sessions with U.N. officials across various offices, providing direct insight into the organization's operations and challenges. Afternoons are dedicated to debates on global topics, where students collaborate to draft recommendations or guidelines for the U.N. This interdisciplinary approach allows students like Obinna to apply their academic expertise in a global policy setting.
Obinna's research at Georgetown focuses on how AI affects artists' creative agency. During the GSP, he had the opportunity to contribute an informed perspective on AI ethics and socially responsible technology, while also learning significantly from peers and officials with different backgrounds.
The Fritz Family Fellowship provided funding for Obinna to attend the GSP in Geneva. This fellowship, along with other opportunities, underscores the programme's importance as a hub for future global leaders.
Obinna was selected among over 1,250 applicants for the GSP. He found the experience of exchanging ideas with students from different backgrounds inspiring and encouraging for interdisciplinary collaboration. Miladin Bogetic, program coordinator for the GSP, described the session as a crash course on the U.N. and multilateralism.
Prior to the GSP, Obinna was a Fritz Family Fellow at Georgetown University's Tech & Society initiative. He also previously participated in a fellowship at FASPE, where he learned about ethical technology practices in the historical context of the Holocaust. This summer, he also participated in a programme at the U.N.'s office in Geneva.
Obinna's experiences have added a new dimension to his research by urging him to consider the worldwide effects of rapid technological advancement across sectors. He plans to use his research as a tool to contribute to the greater good. Obinna expressed that everyone, regardless of their position, can contribute to the greater good.
In his own words, Obinna said, "I believe that everyone, regardless of their position, can contribute to the greater good. My experiences this summer have shown me that collaboration and interdisciplinary thinking are key to addressing global challenges."
The GSP is just one of many summer experiences for students at Georgetown. Other students spent their summers studying abroad in Ecuador, finding their niche in the great outdoors, or becoming firefighters before medical school. But for Wisdom Obinna, the GSP was a transformative experience that has shaped his research and inspired him to continue advocating for socially smart tech.
References: [1] United Nations Office at Geneva. (n.d.). Graduate Study Programme. Retrieved from https://www.unog.ch/unog/en/education/graduate-study-programme/gs-home.html [3] Georgetown University. (n.d.). Wisdom Obinna. Retrieved from https://cs.georgetown.edu/people/wisdom-obinna/
- Wisdom Obinna, while pursuing his career in computer science at Georgetown University, applied his academic expertise in artificial-intelligence research to focus on the impact of AI on artists' creative agency, and during the Graduate Study Programme (GSP) at the United Nations Office in Geneva, he contributed insights on AI ethics and socially responsible technology.
- During the GSP, Wisdom Obinna collaborated with faculty from various disciplines and learned significantly from peers and officials with different backgrounds, which broadened his perspective and provided him with a unique environment to engage in research and discussions on how technology, such as AI, can be utilized for the greater good in global policy settings.
- Going forward, Wisdom Obinna plans to use his research as a tool to foster socially smart tech and continue advocating for ethics and responsibility in the integration of technology within various sectors, with the ultimate goal of creating a better environment for global governance.
