The research and advisory firm Gartner released a Hype Cycle for artificial intelligence last week.  Its hype cycles represent the maturity, adoption, and social application of technologies that are important to business and the economy. While the details are currently only available for Gartner’s clients, more public information on it will be released in the coming weeks.

The concept of a hype cycle was invented by Gartner 30 years ago to capture the five stages that new technological advancements typically go through as they mature and are adapted.  The stages are technology trigger,  peak of inflated expectations, trough of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment, and plateau of productivity. While the categories are not very scientific, they do represent some usefull insights into how new technical ideas develop.

You can compare their 2025 AI hype cycle to the 2024 one.

AAAI hosts a second online AI webinar from 12-1pm EDT on Thursday, June 19, featuring a distinguished panel of experts who will address one of the most controversial AI topics today: AI Perception vs. Reality. The prominent participants are Rodney Brooks, Thomas Dietterich, Gary Marcus, Peter Stone, and moderator Francesca Rossi. 

Topics include:

• Historical Foundation: How AI hype cycles over the past 70 years mirror other technology trends, following predictable patterns described by the Gartner Hype Cycle.

• Current Impact: Why today's Generative AI boom represents many people's first real encounter with AI technology—and why this makes a balanced perspective crucial.

• Critical Evaluation Tools: Practical frameworks for assessing AI capability claims and distinguishing between genuine innovation and inflated promises.

AAAI will host a free online webinar from 12:00-1:00 pm EDT on Monday, June 16, featuring a distinguished panel of AI experts who will explore the evolution and future implications of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) research.

This panel brings together leading voices in AI research to provide balanced perspectives on both the tremendous potential and serious considerations surrounding AGI development.  Panelists include Holger Hoos, Eric Horvitz, and Stuart Russell, with Francesca Rossi serving as moderator.

Register here for this free webinar.

UMBC-Shady Grove will hold two free AI-related online workshops this summer featuring collaborative and hands-on examples and real-world applications.

Introduction to Machine Learning, 1-4 pm EDT, June 17-18, 2025

This two-day workshop provides an introduction to machine learning for participants from all backgrounds and experience levels. While a basic understanding of Python is required, participants will receive introductory materials to help them get started, covering essential Python concepts and the key libraries used in machine learning, ensuring that even those new to programming can confidently follow along. The workshop covers the entire process—preparing data, building, evaluating, deploying machine learning models, and displaying results in colorful plots.

Introduction to Generative AI, 1-5 pm EDT, Wednesday, July 2, 2025

This workshop explores the rapidly evolving world of LLMs and generative AI systems, building upon the foundational knowledge gained in the machine learning workshop.  Participants will learn how to use Python API calls to generate text, images, and videos with state-of-the-art generative AI models. The workshop will guide them through practical examples and real-world applications, enabling them to experiment with cutting-edge tools and understand the underlying principles of generative AI.

Get more information and register here.

Faculty everywhere are asking: Is AI a threat or an opportunity? Find your own answers in this workshop led by national expert, author, teacher, and AI specialist Mike Kentz. This hands-on session translates AI complexity into powerful, classroom-ready insights and skills. Kentz champions a "teacher-first" approach, positioning educators as central to AI integration as seen in his book, AI in Education: A Roadmap For Teacher-Led Transformation.

Move beyond the AI hype into your own practical AI toolkit.  Flexible attendance—either in person or online — makes participation simple.  We encourage in-person participation to engage with your peers and the speaker fully.