We are in the midst of an explosion of technology and knowledge. Google CEO Eric Schmidt famously said that we now create as much information in two days as humans did from the beginning of history to 2003. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and data science promise to bring a new dawn of discoveries to improve society\u2014while others are concerned about unforeseen consequences or malicious uses.

To investigate these questions, Purdue will host a one-day seminar on the benefits and risks surrounding some of the technologies that are both the most disruptive to current practices and being adopted the fastest. This seminar will present interdisciplinary discussions examining the research, opportunities, challenges, and questions brought about by the increasingly rapid rate of technological change.