As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes society, the “human piece” remains an indispensable anchor. This was the central takeaway from a landmark event hosted by the Institute for Data, Research and Innovation Science (IDRIS) at Rutgers-Newark. Part of the university’s ROADMAPS AI Week, the symposium convened global industry leaders, faculty, and students to explore the ethical and practical integration of AI across healthcare, education, and public administration.
Provost Jeffrey Robinson opened the event by emphasizing Newark’s role as a collaborative hub. “We bring together people from our community and the corporate community to work on complex problems,” Robinson stated, highlighting the mission of IDRIS under the leadership of Executive Director Fay Cobb Payton.
The Rise of Agentic AI: A “Watershed Moment”
Boris Kozak, an engineering lead at Meta and IDRIS advisory board member, provided a historical perspective on the technology. He noted that while coding systems like Fortran date back to the 1950s, the emergence of agentic AI last spring represented a revolutionary leap. Unlike previous models, agentic AI can work independently for hours to complete complex tasks.
Despite this power, Kozak dismissed fears of a total job replacement.
“We aren’t working less, we’re orchestrating more,” Kozak said. “There’s going to be a huge premium on the human piece.”
Stewardship, Bias, and Data Privacy
The conversation moved beyond technical literacy toward ethical responsibility. Mary Strain, senior strategist at Amazon Web Services (AWS), challenged the audience to become “good stewards” of technology, addressing critical hurdles like algorithmic bias, security, and copyright.
To tackle the “problematic issue” of data access, Ronnie Falcon of the OpenMined Foundation advocated for privacy-preserving research methods. Her goal is to allow scholars to analyze sensitive data sets without compromising proprietary or personal information—a vital step for understanding AI’s real-world social impacts.
AI as a Tool for Social Justice
A recurring theme was the necessity of confronting systemic bias. Professor Ebony McGee (Johns Hopkins) and Michelle Rogers (Drexel) joined Rutgers-Newark Professor Gregory Porumbescu to discuss how AI often reflects existing social inequalities.
The symposium also featured insights from Rutgers-Newark deans on the evolving “North Star” of higher education:
• Dean Nancy La Vigne (Criminal Justice): Focused on teaching students to use AI tools responsibly while maintaining critical thinking.
• Dean Johanna Bond (Law): Visualized AI as a powerful mechanism to expand access to justice and close disparities in housing and employment.
• Dean Kaifeng Yang (SPAA): Highlighted the transformative role of AI in public leadership.
Hands-On Innovation in Newark
The event concluded with a workshop on Amazon QuickSuite, an agentic AI workspace launched in October to automate research and business workflows. Faculty also participated in “lightning talks,” presenting research on using AI to track health conditions in Newark and improve student wellness.
