Mehran Sahami

Absolute delight writing new book "System Error: Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot" with @robreich and Jeremy Weinstein. It tours issues in tech (algorithmic bias, data privacy, AI, platform power) and what we can do about them. Out in Sept. harpercollins.com/products/syste…

#CodeinPlace is back and better than ever! Our giant intro-to-coding party is taking applications for 2024 and we're excited for our next group of passionate learners from around the world. Apply by April 11, 2024: codeinplace.stanford.edu

Very much looking forward to discussing our book "System Error: How Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot" (co-authored with @robreich and Jeremy Weinstein) with @radhikashahsv, @JennaNicholas, and @LisaKurbiel ⤵️

Many ethics fellowship opportunities available at Stanford. The Embedded Ethics Fellows work closely with faculty in computer science to help infuse modules on ethical issues in context into CS classes. Come join us in this work! More info⤵️

@MarietjeSchaake @Stanford Great to see @MarietjeSchaake, @percyliang, @LisaEinstein, and Tino Cuellar together!

The @Stanford connection at the #AISummit ☀️

My amazing colleague @drfeifei's book "The Worlds I See" is coming out in just a couple weeks. She just got the first print copies. It should be a fantastic read! You can pre-order it in the link from the post below. ⤵️

#TheGrill2023 🤖We are discussing the current state of #Ai with Mehran Sahami, Professor & Chair, Computer Science, Stanford University “AI enables more possibilities, more creativity, and also one of the possibilities that it creates job displacement. But people ultimately make that decision”- @mehran_sahami

@guzdial @bmcdeepak Also, in the age of LLMs for code (e.g., Copilot), the notion of how to get many people to "write some programs" is changing rapidly, and in ways that depend less on traditional "computer science" education.

@guzdial @bmcdeepak Seems like a false dichotomy. The direct analogy with literacy doesn't hold. You could also ask does society need to produce great building architects or for many people to be able to do some architecture? The answers for literacy, programming, and architecture are each unique.

In which way has literacy in the English language had a greater impact on the world: Through enabling great writers like Chaucer and Shakespeare, or through enabling billions to write shopping lists and letters to grandparents? Now consider a similar question about programming.

Wonderful talks today at @StanfordCyber. It was great hearing the insights of State Secretary @carmeartigas, @persily, @dswillner, @flogsell, @EUinSF, and Dan Ho, and then having follow-up conversations over lunch.

Excited to be speaking about AI at #thegrill2023, @TheWrap's tech and entertainment conference on Oct. 4 in Los Angeles. More information about the conference at: thegrill2023.splashthat.com

Just released: Fantastic short videos on how AI works — from chatbots to generative AI — in terms anyone can understand at code.org/aivideos plus a free professional learning series for teachers to use AI in their classroom: code.org/ai101 #ai101

Excited to be teaching a new iteration of the class on ethics, technology, and public policy with @robreich and Jeremy Weinstein. Applications are now open at tinyurl.com/ethicstechpp

My amazing colleague @drfeifei has published a memoir about her scientific journey in AI. She also looks forward to the responsible use of AI for the benefit of humanity. Can't wait to get a copy!

@AngeleChristin @Stanford Congratulations, Angele! Very well-deserved! 👏👏👏

Congratulations to @robreich for being named the McGregor-Girand Professor of Social Ethics of Science and Technology at @Stanford! Rob is a tremendous force for ethics at the university and beyond. So well deserved!

Message of the year: How do you spot an idiot? Look for the person who is cruel. The kindest person in the room is often the smartest. 🏆 @GovPritzker

@robreich has done an absolutely tremendous job as faculty director of @StanfordEthics for nearly a decade! Congratulations on his leadership of the center as he now passes the baton to @LeifWenar.

Our video with @StanfordVideo, AI at Stanford 1962–2022 last night won Gold at the 52nd Northern California Area Emmy Awards 2023 (@EmmySFTV) in the Science and Technology Category, following on from earlier Gold and Silver Telly Awards. Full video (13m): youtube.com/watch?v=Cn6nmW…

Stanford is again offering its online Code In Place class, the third time the free coding course has been provided. It’s an approach other college should emulate. trib.al/030gzys

@RamaswmySridhar @Neeva This is sad to hear, especially given that you championed consumer privacy. But I know there's deep expertise on the @Neeva team and I wish you the best with the next chapter of the journey!

We are shutting down @neeva's consumer search engine. This was a very tough decision that took into account lots of things: our business progress so far, the current funding environment and our ability to continue to grow quickly in this vastly changed search environment. We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished: building a search engine from scratch with a tiny team of fifty people and releasing the world’s first LLM powered answer engine that produced reliable citations. We are going to be shutting down the consumer product and focusing on enterprise use cases of LLMs and search. More details about the shutdown in the blog here: neeva.com/blog/may-annou… Stay tuned for news about what the Neeva team is up to next.