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The University of Waterloo's Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business will be hosting CBC IDEAS: Visionaries in Conversation on November 16. Billed as "an opportunity to explore how we reshape the future of our tech-driven world," the event will feature speakers Cory Doctorow and Vass Bednar.

Monday, November 13, 2023 - Saturday, November 18, 2023 (all day)

AI Artistry on Display: When all Dreams Come True

Step into a captivating world where local and global artists unite in an exhibition that transcends boundaries. Observe a breathtaking array of creations, all shaped by generative artificial intelligence. This extraordinary display unveils the profound impact of AI tools on the ever-evolving canvas of art, challenging conventions and ushering in a new era of limitless possibilities.

As AI tools flourish, they are revolutionizing the artistic landscape, dismantling traditional gateways, and creating a paradigm shift from scarcity to abundance. Our featured artists, each with their distinct perspective on these transformative tools, allow you to embark on a journey of reimagining art, culture, and the very concept of work in a world cohabiting with AI.

Join us as we delve into this remarkable odyssey, an exploration and celebration of the artistry that thrives in a universe shared with these new forms of intelligence. These entities, for better or worse, have gleaned their wisdom from us, and their creations will leave you pondering the profound interplay between humanity and AI. Witness a possible future of art unfold before your eyes.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Critical Tech Talk: Black Media Philosophy and Beyond with Armond R. Towns

Much of the contemporary research on race in communication media studies begins with media representations. However, for this talk, Armond R. Towns will focus on the relationship between the modern research university, race, and the development of communication and media studies in the early and mid-twentieth century, with a focus specifically on US and Canadian communication and media studies. Like the modern university, the discipline of communication and media studies, Towns argues, has a difficulty with understanding non-Western life. This talk is a beginning conversation on how to push toward new forms of understanding humanity beyond Western life. The topic of who counts as human is crucial in a context where big tech aims to control the future of so-called humanity and the AI race closes the gap between human and machine communications.

This is a hybrid in-person and virtual event. Following the talk, there will be a short reception for in-person attendees at the Science Teaching Complex (STC) Room 0050.

Monday, September 25, 2023 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Black Virtuality - ADE for Games Communities Workshop and Speaker Series

Across digital media, Black people are portrayed in ways that are derogatory, inaccurate, stereotypical, demeaning, and otherwise harmful. And Black culture is often depersonalized and extracted from Black bodies. Through projects like ‘Ye or Nay? and the Open-Source Afro Hair Library, artist A.M. Darke reimagines the construction and consumption of Black bodies in virtual space, discussing critical approaches to portraying Blackness in games and virtual space.

The following events are lectures, panels and workshops hosted by a variety of researchers across the globe, discussing themes related to decolonization, equity, accessibility and diversity in games and game communities. Times are EST/EDT; they are tentative and may be subject to change. Event registration details to come.

This panel highlights emerging scholars in Black games studies. Panelists will present recent and/or ongoing work, sharing a glimpse of the emerging research questions animating the field. 

Cryptocurrency has rapidly increased in popularity and is changing the way we conduct business and make transactions. Cryptocurrencies provide certain advantages over traditional systems

TikTok Tyson

Tyson McGavin (BGBDA ’22) is fostering community among game players and embracing the emerging digital marketing landscape of TikTok. He recently surpassed the 500K follower milestone for Big Blue Bubble’s My Singing Monsters account.