Noggin presents: AI and the Brain
WHAT: “Your brain learns what your brain does” – presentation and workshop by Bill Griesar and Jeff Leake of Northwest Noggin at the American Technical Education Association (ATEA) Conference.
WHERE: Senatobia, Mississippi – more details on the way!
WHEN: Wednesday, September 16 – Friday, September 18, 2026; workshop to kick off the conference scheduled for Wednesday (9/16), Time TBD
Artificial intelligence (AI) is popular, and people use Large Language Models (LLMs) every day. Sometimes we use AI intentionally (for example, we type a specific request for a paper into ChatGPT) and in many cases we use it unintentionally (e.g., we read an “AI summary” of a Google or DuckDuckGo search). AI uses algorithms to seek patterns in huge amounts of data, and learn from those patterns to make predictions. There are situations where this technology can be very helpful, and we’ll discover some fascinating applications. Brains learn from the experiences we have, forming predictive networks through trial and error. These experiences are critical, because brains learn what brains do, so if you use ChatGPT to write a paper, or call for art, or complete any other kind of assignment, your brain does not learn anything more than how to format an effective query for ChatGPT. AI removes human engagement, and the useful mistakes and often challenging journey we make to acquire skills and create knowledge. It also relies on stolen work from the brains of others, and is remarkably costly for the economy and environment. We’ll explore neuroscience research on the consequences for brain health and demonstrate the benefits of making something ourselves. Bring your own creativity, enthusiasm and brains!
The theme of this year’s conference is “The New Workforce: Accelerating Productivity for the Future.” Much of the discussion will focus on how AI may reshape the way work is done moving forward.
DRAFT SLIDES (*.pdf): NW Noggin_AI_and_Brain_5_2026
DRAFT SLIDES (*.ppt): NW Noggin_AI_and_Brain_5_2026
STAY TUNED: More details on the way!