Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant or abstract technology. It is already shaping education, healthcare, employment, elections, public policy, and even the way institutions make decisions affecting people’s lives. In this presentation, LWV Chicago Vice President John Engle will offer an overview of what AI is, how it works, where the technology is heading, and why it matters for democracy.

The talk will examine both the promise and the dangers of AI, including its environmental costs, impact on truth and public trust, risks in healthcare and military decision-making, emerging concerns around AI-generated abuse and self-harm, and the central accountability question: if machines cannot be held responsible, how do we ensure humans remain accountable?

This event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Chicago.