This the keynote given at the The College of New Jersey Pelson Memorial Annual lecture on April 11, 2025. This talk is intended for all audiences and establishes a general thought process for thinking about how AI will impact the future of education and workforce development.

In today’s digital world, data fuels innovation, decision-making, and automation, much like oxygen sustains life. From AI models to personalized recommendations and business intelligence, data is the essential resource that powers modern technology. Organizations that harness and analyze data effectively gain a competitive edge, while those that neglect it risk stagnation. However, just as oxygen needs to be clean for optimal health, data must be high-quality, ethically sourced, and well-managed to drive meaningful progress.

Today, we’re diving into a powerful AI concept that’s shaping industries worldwide—classification. From detecting cancer in medical scans to sorting emails, recognizing faces, and even protecting endangered species, classification helps AI make sense of the world by identifying patterns in data.

So how does it work? And why is it so important? Stick around as we break it all down—from cancer detection and beyond!

The Hidden Power of Predictive and Generative AI

Predictive and Generative AI are transforming the way we interact with technology, often in ways we don’t even notice. Predictive AI powers recommendation systems, fraud detection, and even medical diagnoses by analyzing patterns in data to make informed forecasts. It helps businesses anticipate customer behavior, enables self-driving cars to make split-second decisions, and improves personalized learning experiences. Meanwhile, Generative AI creates new content, from text and images to music and video, revolutionizing fields like education, entertainment, and design. While these technologies are already enhancing productivity and creativity, their true potential lies in how they work together—Predictive AI making smart decisions based on past data, and Generative AI producing innovative solutions based on learned patterns. As AI continues to evolve, its hidden power will become even more integrated into our daily lives, shaping industries and redefining the way we think about human-AI collaboration.

Professor Gunawardena's podcast on AI and Data Science explores the evolution of artificial intelligence, tracing its roots from simple decision trees in the 1950s to today's generative AI systems. With AI assistant Jessica, he discusses key milestones like the AI boom of the 1980s, the setback due to limited computing power, and breakthroughs like IBM's Deep Blue defeating Kasparov in 1997. They differentiate between narrow AI, which excels at specific tasks, and the elusive general AI, which could think across domains. The conversation highlights deep learning, neural networks, and the ethical challenges of superintelligent AI. Looking ahead, AI has the potential to revolutionize fields like healthcare and climate science, but its development must be carefully guided to maximize benefits while mitigating risks. The episode closes with a reflection on humanity’s role in shaping AI’s future, setting the stage for an upcoming discussion on predictive AI.