Luther College hosts educational events to explore and discuss the impact of AI

On Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8, the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement, in collaboration with Luther College’s Career Center and The Landing Market, will host a panel discussion and a community conversation exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) across education, industry and everyday life. The events are free and open to the public.

“Many of us, myself included, may feel like AI is infiltrating every aspect of our lives. AI is reshaping how we learn, how we work, how we shop, and how we travel,” said Hongxiao Yu, assistant professor of management at Luther. “I organized this program entitled ‘Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?’ to focus on the questions that I keep thinking about in my own life and research.”

“Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” Panel Discussion

The program, “Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” begins with a panel discussion at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, in Peace Dining Room, located on the second floor of the Dahl Centennial Union. The panelists are Brian W. Carnell, chief information officer of Lifescale Analytics; Haemoon Oh, an Educational Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management at the University of South Carolina (USC); Nathan Thompson, chief executive officer and co-founder of Assessment Systems; and David Zalk, manager at Deloitte Consulting Services.

With more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry, Carnell has worked for some of the top technology companies in the world including Dell, Oracle, Cisco Systems, WANG and EchoStar. Carnell is the creator of one of the first AI-driven autonomous flight systems for pest management.

Oh served as the dean of USC’s College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management from 2015 to 2020. Prior to USC, he was the head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass). Before he joined UMass, Oh was a faculty member and graduate program director of the hospitality management program at Iowa State University for more than 12 years.

Oh has a bachelor’s degree in tourism sciences from Hanyang University in South Korea and a master’s in hospitality administration from the University of Nevada–Las Vegas. He earned a Ph.D. in man and environment relations with a concentration in marketing from Pennsylvania State University.

Thompson is a tech entrepreneur, psychometrician and AI researcher with a passion for improving assessment of people. He has a Ph.D. in psychometrics from the University of Minnesota, with a focus on adaptive testing algorithms for personalized assessment. Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree with a triple major of psychology, mathematics and Latin from Luther in 2000.

“I credit my career to the inspiration, guidance and drive for lifelong learning that I received at Luther, especially from certain professors with pivotal impact,” Thompson said. “I’m delighted for the opportunity to share my experiences in AI, technology, and business, and hopefully stimulate the interest of future researchers.”

As a manager in Deloitte’s consulting practice, Zalk specializes in large-scale AI and data programs for financial services clients. He assists clients in solving challenges at the intersection of data, technology, and business process, enabling organizations to govern and leverage AI and data for competitive advantage. Zalk earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and math from Luther in 2015.

“Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” Community Conversation

The “Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” program continues with a Community Conversation at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, at The Landing Market, 211 College Drive. Local business owners, Luther alumni and community members interested in AI and its role in shaping the future of work and learning are encouraged to attend this informal gathering.

“My goal is for leaders in academia and the business community to come together and discuss the growing influence of AI today. By listening to these AI experts and sharing our experiences, we can critically assess and responsibly engage with emerging AI technologies,” Yu said.

Yu organized the “Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” program as the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) Faculty Research Fellow. Yu’s research explores how users perceive and trust artificial intelligence in decision-making contexts, particularly within the fields of hospitality, tourism and education. She investigates the ethical challenges and human factors that influence AI adoption and misuse, with the goal of promoting transparency, informed use, and public trust. During her fellowship, she will conduct interviews and surveys, develop a theoretical framework on AI trust, and engage the campus through guest speakers, student research and public events.

In addition to the public events on Nov. 7–8, the “Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next?” program also features discussions with Luther students in various departments including management, economics, data science and computer science.

Each year, the CEPE selects a guiding theme to inspire and share its programming. “Artificial” is the theme for the 2025–26 academic year.

Learn More