Deacs.AI

Higher education is facing a crossroads that looks a lot like the early days of the pandemic. Artificial Intelligence has forced a sudden evolution, allowing us to revisit our training based on first principles. Linguistic expert Jerid Francom riffs on the explosion of possibilities and the foundations of the pedagogical process as we charge ahead. We explore the tension between efficiency and intellectual growth, and why we must protect the process of learning before it’s replaced by a finished product.

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Forget the tuxedos and the martinis. Sarra Alqahtani is training a different class of super agent. In this episode, we go inside the lab to see how "Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning" is being used to protect the planet. We move past the hype of chatbots to look at AI that actually does things; navigating complex environments, making split-second decisions, and solving problems without a human holding the remote. From tracking illegal gold mining in the Amazon to securing your self-driving car, Dr. Alqahtani explains why the future of global security isn’t a man in a suit - it’s a swarm of agents. Join us for a masterclass in how reinforcement learning is moving from the whiteboard to the wild.

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Join Ryan Scholl and Michael Ferrari for the final installment of our "Best of 2025" series on the Deacs.AI podcast. In this episode, titled "The Soul and the Mission," Wake Forest innovators explore the vital importance of preserving the human spirit in the age of Artificial Intelligence. We discuss building ethical guardrails by looking at historical parallels—from Platos early fears about the invention of writing to the "Manhattan Project" of modern AI. The conversation delves into the future of creativity, the legal complexities of copyright in neural networks, and the essential need for authentic social connection over automated simulations. Finally, we reflect on how a liberal arts education and the Pro Humanitate motto prepare us for a future where technology serves as a springboard for human flourishing rather than a replacement for it.

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Join Michael Ferrari and Ryan Scholl for Part 2 of our "Best of 2025" series on the Deacs.AI podcast. In this episode, Wake Forest innovators discuss the evolution of AI in higher education—from the initial shock of ChatGPT's arrival to the sophisticated ways faculty are now harnessing it for teaching and research. We explore the "philosophy of the struggle" in learning, practical tools like the "Stoplight Model" for ethical AI use, and how AI might shift the focus of university life from specific majors to finding the true meaning of life.

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As we ring in the new year, Michael Ferrari and Ryan Scholl present a special recap of the most impactful conversations from the Deacs.AI podcast throughout 2025. From the "first 10 hours" of experimenting with tools like Google Gemini and Claude to the rise of autonomous AI agents, this episode synthesizes a year of rapid innovation at Wake Forest. We explore how AI is transforming repetitive workflows, reshaping team dynamics, and forcing a necessary shift toward an entrepreneurial mindset.

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On this special episode of Deacs.AI, we explore the intersection of liberal arts education and emerging technologies through the lens of Pro Humanitate. University leaders Mur Muchane, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, and Anne Hardcastle, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, detail how Wake Forest is integrating generative artificial intelligence into curricula, not as a replacement for human cognition, but as a partner in developing the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills necessary for future leadership. They discuss the collaborative process between administrative and academic units to establish institutional guidelines that balance data security with academic freedom, ensuring a flexible framework that adapts to rapid technological advancements while preserving faculty agency and disciplinary nuance.

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Ryan, Sarah, and Michael report from Wake Forest AI Fest 2025 and give their impressions of some of the presentations and panels that they saw during day 2 and discuss what has stuck out to them so far.

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Ryan and Michael report from Wake Forest AI Fest 2025 and give their first impressions of some of the presentations and panels that they saw during day 1 and discuss what has stuck out to them so far.

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As AI begins to simulate human behavior, the lines between "processing" and "understanding" are blurring. But is an AI model actually conscious, or is it just a really efficient parrot? Join us as we welcome Dr. Kevin Jung to explore the philosophical and theological gaps between artificial intelligence and the human experience. Dr. Jung challenges the idea that AI can possess "personhood," arguing that while machines can out-compute us, they lack the private mental content required for true language and meaning. From the "colorblind" nature of Large Language Models to the Popes recent comments on technological innovation, we explore what it really means to be human in an automated world.

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We have spent the last few years enthralled by Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. But leading researchers at Google DeepMind and Meta are already moving on to the next big thing: World Models. While LLMs predict the next word in a sentence, World Models predict the next frame in a video or the consequence of an action in physical space.

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