The defining variable in the rapid rise of autonomous artificial intelligence may not be a background in computer engineering, but rather the critical thinking skills obtained by a liberal arts education, according to a panel of industry experts convened as part of the recent University of Puget Sound Business Insights event.

The University of Puget Sound recently held the Puget Sound Symposium on AI & Privacy, bringing together an interdisciplinary group of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to address the ethical and legal challenges posed by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. The event successfully fostered critical dialogue across different sectors about how AI impacts personal data, influences governance models, and redefines the boundaries of mental privacy.

The University of Puget Sound will launch a new interdisciplinary emphasis in Artificial Intelligence and Human Values in Fall 2026, offering students a structured pathway to understand AI not just as a technology but as a force reshaping democracy, creativity, health care, law, and human relationships.

A new study by a University of Puget Sound professor reveals that AI tools like ChatGPT may speak your language, but they are thinking with an “American mind.”