Controversy @ Noon Panel:
The Effects of AI on Writers and the Literary World
Wednesday, September 20th | 12:00 pm MST | Online | Free Event
Registration is now closed
As the presence of Artificial Intelligence evolves and its reach continues to expand, writers are forced to ask themselves: What does this mean for me and my work? The topic of AI is multi-faceted, and while AI promises endless possibilities for artists and writers alike, it also brings with it fear and uncertainty. What lines have been drawn between AI as a supplemental tool and AI as the career-crushing thief many believe it could be?
Join our group of panelists as they explore this complicated issue and AI’s current — and future — impact on writers and the literary arts.
This is the WGA’s inaugural event for our new lunch-time series: Controversy @ Noon. Join us on Wednesday, September 20th, at 12:00 PM for our first discussion on the ever-controversial topic of Artificial Intelligence.
Featured Panelists
Brenda McDermott uses an EDIA lens to reflect on teaching and learning practices in post-secondary education – striving to create a sense of belonging for all students and staff. After finishing her PhD in 2015 in Communication Studies, she returned to complete a MEd. In addition to over 10+ of post-secondary teaching experience, Brenda has supported instructors with academic integrity education, writing pedagogy, universal design for learning, and assessment design. She is currently part of the interdisciplinary team examining the ethics of artificial intelligence at the University of Calgary.
Find her on LinkedIn at: bemcderm
Katherine Abbass (she/her) is a multi-genre writer and educator of Lebanese descent. She is a conversational developer for virtual beings at Reimagine AI, a creative studio based in Montréal. When she isn’t scripting bots, Katherine is writing fiction and creative nonfiction. Her work has appeared in a number of literary magazines, including Room, Riddle Fence, The Malahat Review, and Funicular. She currently resides with her dog, Angelou, on Treaty 6 territory.
Find Katherine on Instagram: @kj.abbass
Valentine Goddard is a lawyer, certified mediator, and inter-arts curator. She is a member of the AI Advisory Council of Canada, and a United Nations expert on AI policy and governance. In 2017, she founded and is the executive director of AI Impact Alliance, an organisation whose mission is to facilitate a responsible governance of AI and steer its use towards the achievement of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It is recognized by the Conseil des arts de Montréal as a digital arts research organisation. She designs and leads transdisciplinary programs that bridge civic engagement and knowledge mobilisation to policy and regulatory innovation. The Art Impact AI programs led to the adoption of international policies that highlight the role of the arts and civil society in AI and digital governance. She is regularly invited to take part in the analysis of emerging AI and data laws and discuss the impact of generative AI. She initiated and co-chairs the Gender Equality and the Environment in Digital Economies international expert group whose policy recommendations address critical issues for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and sustainable natural resource data governance. In 2023, she was awarded the Mozilla Creative Media award for “Algorithmic (or not) Art to Counter Gender, Cultural and Racial Bias in AI”.
Find her online: LinkedIn: Valentine Goddard | Twitter: @vavacolor | Instagram: @gabelle | Medium: Valentine Goddard
(Moderator) Dustin Archibald is an author and editor living in Grande Prairie, Alberta. His fiction writing focuses mainly on Speculative Fiction and Fantasy. His current series, Asha Anderson, is a pre/teen focussed look at a lone hero finding her place in the world’s most technologically advanced city.
As an editor, he primarily works for Manning Publications, helping to shape learning resources on topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and other emerging technologies.
Find Dustin online at: DCArchibald.com | X (Twitter): @DCArchibald | FB: facebook.com/dcarchibald