The Benton County Historical Society will present “Inside the Black Box: Understanding Algorithms and Their Social Impacts” at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Philomath Museum.
Naomi Aguiar, an expert in human-AI relationships, will demystify the algorithms powering popular large language models including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Character.ai. The presentation will explore how these AI systems work and why their responses can seem remarkably human-like despite their non-human nature.
Beyond the technical aspects, Aguiar will examine the broader social implications of these technologies, addressing how they affect everything from personal relationships to the way cultural knowledge is shared and transmitted across communities.
Aguiar’s research focuses on how both children and adults interact with and form attachments to AI chatbots, and the real-world consequences of these digital relationships on learning and behavior. She co-authored “Imaginary Friends and the People Who Create Them,” published by Oxford University Press in 2024.
The lecture series is made possible through donations from Benton County Historical Society supporters and museum members. Advance registration is required due to limited seating.