News

Deepfakes use artificial intelligence to fabricate video and audio of people doing and saying things they never did or said. Hollywood has used deepfakes in movies, and museums are exploring them as ways to animate famous paintings and bring long-gone artists to life. But the same technology is being used for sexual harassment in cyberspace and threatening to foment chaos in the 2020 election cycle. How do deepfakes work? What lies ahead? What can be done? These issues were explored on September 27, 2019, in two programs organized by the Future of Information Alliance.

How can we know our world in the face of efforts to undermine traditional sources of information … and in a time when citizens raise serious concerns about what and whom they can trust? That question was explored on May 15, 2018, in a program organized by the Future of Information Alliance at The Phillips Collection as part of the University of Maryland’s partnership with the museum.

A University of Maryland program in partnership with The Phillips Collection was held on June 6, 2017 to explore the frontiers of virtual reality, augmented reality and immersive storytelling. Three speakers working at the forefront of innovation in these areas discussed how these cutting-edge platforms are being used in fields as diverse and journalism, education, defense and the arts and are serving as engines of empathy and windows into our cultural and environmental heritage.

Three future-ists discussed the future of virtual reality and innovative imagery: Graham Roberts, Senior Editor at The New York Times; Dan Russell, Google’s Director of User Happiness; and Amitabh Varshney, Director of the University of Maryland’s Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. Leslie Walker, the Visiting Professor in Digital Innovation at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism moderated the discussion.

Highlights of a week-long event that explored the future of the past, ranging from innovative uses of satellites and 3D imaging, to confronting the challenges of archiving social movements.

The Future of Information Alliance, in partnership with the State of Maryland, presented a program on May 8, 2013 that explored both the opportunities and challenges associated with big data.

The Future of Information Alliance, in partnership with the State of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution, presented a program on February 4, 2013 that explored both the opportunities and challenges associated with crowdsourcing.

The Future of Information Alliance, in partnership with the Newseum, presented a program on November 12, 2012 that explored Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).