AI and History Conference October 15–16, 2026 at JHU and online

The AI and History Conference takes place Oct. 15–16, 2026, at JHU in Baltimore, MD. It brings together historians at all career stages to evaluate how AI and computational methods are transforming historical research, archival analysis, and classroom instruction. It has parallel sessions for varying levels of technical experience, covering topics ranging from LLMs and spatial history to the ethical and historiographical implications of AI. In-person attendance is at capacity, but free virtual registration remains open to all.

]]> The AI and History Conference takes place Oct. 15–16, 2026, at JHU in Baltimore, MD. It brings together historians at all career stages to evaluate how AI and computational methods are... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/162143/guest@my.umbc.edu/b075fc8e55e3190c501a3c0da4ad7f08/api/pixel ai baltimore conference history UMBC AI https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/xxlarge.jpg?1788118686 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/xlarge.jpg?1788118686 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/large.jpg?1788118686 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/medium.jpg?1788118686 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/small.jpg?1788118686 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/xsmall.jpg?1788118686 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/162/143/a7fa43bb81cac5fc4f7f71ee1382da77/xxsmall.jpg?1788118686 AI and History Conference, Baltimore, MD, October 15-16, 2026 0 0 true Sun, 30 Aug 2026 15:43:19 -0400 Humanists Talk about AI: A conversation with Eric Brown and Blake Francis 12-1 pm Wed. Feb. 18, 2026, room 216 PAHB

Humanists Talk about AI: A conversation with Eric Brown and Blake Francis

 12 - 1 PM Wed. Feb. 18, 2026, room 216 PAHB

UMBC Professors Eric Brown and Blake Francis will address the questions:
  • What do Humanities Professors think about AI?
  • How do historians and philosophers think about artificial intelligence?
  • How can the Humanities bring a critical perspective on AI?
Eric Brown is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Individualized Study Program and Affiliate Faculty in the Human Context of Science and Technology Program. Blake Francis is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy and Director of the Human Context of Science and Technology Program.

Students are especially encouraged to attend and pizza will be served. 

Space is limited so advanced registration is required.

Sponsored by the Dresher Center's Humanities & AI Working Group and the Human Context for Science and Technology program. Send questions to dreshercenter@umbc.edu.
]]> Humanists Talk about AI: A conversation with Eric Brown and Blake Francis  12 - 1 PM Wed. Feb. 18, 2026, room 216 PAHB UMBC Professors Eric Brown and Blake Francis will address the questions:... https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerkhtIIEoNpLjl_i5H28MNlvBBZAa85y8drLwJH3RohBHU3Q/viewform https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/156064/guest@my.umbc.edu/9bc317ad4d8427005f449267d114161e/api/pixel ai history humanities philosophy UMBC AI https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/xxlarge.jpg?1769976974 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/xlarge.jpg?1769976974 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/large.jpg?1769976974 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/medium.jpg?1769976974 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/small.jpg?1769976974 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/xsmall.jpg?1769976974 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/156/064/82555950e0412205ae5e27cf55034213/xxsmall.jpg?1769976974 Humanists talk about AI 0 0 true Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:47:57 -0500 70 years ago today, the term Artificial Intelligence was first introduced John McCarthy proposed a workshop on AI at Dartmouth
70 years ago, on August 31, 1955, the term Artificial Intelligence was first used in a proposal from John McCarthy entitled A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence. 

The proposal was submitted to the Rockefeller Foundation by McCarthy and three co-organizers, Claude Shannon, Nathaniel Rochester, and Marvin Minsky. It was funded, and the eight-week workshop held in the summer of 1956 is widely regarded as the founding event of the artificial intelligence field.


]]> 70 years ago, on August 31, 1955, the term Artificial Intelligence was first used in a proposal from John McCarthy entitled A Proposal for the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial... http://jmc.stanford.edu/articles/dartmouth/dartmouth.pdf https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/151898/guest@my.umbc.edu/ee5b7a965e8afab32335a8bca1aa0ca6/api/pixel ai history mccarthy UMBC AI https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/xxlarge.jpg?1756660832 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/xlarge.jpg?1756660832 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/large.jpg?1756660832 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/medium.jpg?1756660832 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/small.jpg?1756660832 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/xsmall.jpg?1756660832 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/898/db720ccd0496df3ec2bb174cf0d9a292/xxsmall.jpg?1756660832 Photgraph of some of the participants of the 1956 Dartmouth summer AI workshop. (back row, from left) Oliver Selfridge, Nathaniel Rochester, Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy, and (front row, from left) Ray Solomonoff, Pete Milner and Claude Shannon. 9 0 true Sun, 31 Aug 2025 14:05:22 -0400 Can AI make Hitler cry?

UMBC professor Aharona Rosenthal has a new paper, Can AI make Hitler cry?, exploring the use of AI in Holocaust education across four generations in Spinger’s AI and Ethics journal. The paper presents an empirical comparison of four generations of Holocaust descendants’ perceptions of AI-generated Holocaust content. 

It reveal a generational trust gap, showing that the first and second generations prioritize emotional authenticity and remain skeptical of AI, third- and fourth-generation participants show greater trust in digital platforms and AI-driven tools for Holocaust education. The fourth generation’s use of AI-powered tools, including short-form content on TikTok and Instagram Reels, represents a new mode of Holocaust engagement, but also raises ethical concerns for gamification and the trivialization of trauma. It advocates for a hybrid model that integrates AI with human storytelling and scholarly oversight to ensure responsible Holocaust education.


 ]]> UMBC professor Aharona Rosenthal has a new paper, Can AI make Hitler cry?, exploring the use of AI in Holocaust education across four generations in Spinger’s AI and Ethics journal. The paper... https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-025-00816-3 https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/151552/guest@my.umbc.edu/62d0ccf2e651ad739e49ef530688a15a/api/pixel ai ethics history holocaust UMBC AI https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/xxlarge.jpg?1755527129 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/xlarge.jpg?1755527129 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/large.jpg?1755527129 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/medium.jpg?1755527129 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/small.jpg?1755527129 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/xsmall.jpg?1755527129 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/552/ca6f12591cd9413eac329e1cd2d20d03/xxsmall.jpg?1755527129 ai and ethics logo and paper title 2 0 true Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:36:40 -0400 World's first chatbot restored on the world's first time-sharing system Original ELIZA code runs in CTSS emulator on Linux/MacOS

MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum created ELIZA in 1966 partly to demonstrate how easy it was to convince people that a computer was intelligent. His original MAD-SLIP version of ELIZA, usually considered the world's first chatbot, is running again on its native platform for the first time in nearly 60 years. Weizenbaum's original CACM paper, ELIZA — A Computer Program for the Study of Natural Language Communication Between Man and Machine, is available online.

This historic breakthrough was accomplished by a team of researchers (Rupert Lane, Anthony Hay, Arthur Schwarz, and Jeff Shrager) who successfully restored ELIZA to operation on a reconstructed version of MIT's Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS), running on an emulated IBM 7094. You can download the code from this GitHub repository and run it on most Linux or MacOS systems.

See this blog post describing the effort to get the original ELIZA version running and a video of the reanimated ELIZA. Read more about ELIZA on the Genealogy of ELIZA site. You can also talk to ELIZA using a version of Weizenbaum's script via a JavaScript adaptation of the original code by Anthony Hay.

UMBC Center for AI ]]> MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum created ELIZA in 1966 partly to demonstrate how easy it was to convince people that a computer was intelligent. His original MAD-SLIP version of ELIZA, usually... https://sites.google.com/view/elizagen-org/blog/eliza-reanimated https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/146418/guest@my.umbc.edu/804dc2b41c3501a3eb7e9d16457508b2/api/pixel ai chatbot eliza history UMBC AI https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI 0 0 true Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:16:18 -0500 Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:59:09 -0500