CALL FOR PAPERSICSA X. WORLD CONGRESS

DNA +AI SUPERINTELLIGENCE:UTOPIA OR DYSTOPIA?
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, USA, 19 OCTOBER 2024 (ONLINE: ZOOM)HOSTED BY: OMEGA GRADUATE SCHOOL____________________________________________________________________________________

Suggested Themes:
By the 21st century, humanity is at an inflection point: Advances in AI and genetic engineeringpromise unprecedented economic transformation, prosperity, leisure, and curing diseases, evenexpanding the human life span. But the Fourth Industrial Revolution may also usher in an Orwellian
Brave New World. As fiction becomes fact, Orwell’s telescreen is now the more personalized
iPhone that tracks, monitors, and potentially controls its user (China). Tracking/control may become
ubiquitous and inescapable with DNA-based AI, enabling universal tyranny. Even more ominous
are AI’s emergent qualities where AI programs develop new capabilities unknown to humans thatconcern AI creators. AI developers at major companies like Alphabet/Google, Microsoft, OpenAI,and Anthropic seek government regulation, but retain an optimistic mind-set that belies potential
challenges of new technologies. Yet, there is an increasing awareness that superintelligent AI may
become smarter than individual humans. When AI can use Ernest Hemingway’s famous four words,“baby shoes; never worn,” to compose almost instantly a credible human-interest story, and even put
it to verse, it reflects an AI genie as a superior poet or novelist. But AI could just as easily become
a “sorcerer’s apprentice.” A technology that has no soul, conscience or free will may turn against
its creators. How can humanity tame the digital behemoth, and prevent a single line of doomsday
code by a malevolent agent to end the human saga? Can human creativity control superintelligent
AI? Of concern is potential impact on humanity of runaway or “rogue” AI, recognized by some AI
creators, as in Open Letter on AI existential threat to humanity. How will AI affect human selfunderstanding in a world where robots can never “love us back” (Turkle 2017: 28)? In sum, how
can AI as a more ethical, humane technology benefit all without becoming humanity’s Master?
__________________________________________________________________________________ICSA X 2024 endeavors to bring together scholars from a wide range of
disciplines and denominations for an exciting international conference whichtakes both scholarship and faith seriously. ICSA X. World Congress 2024:
DNA + AI Superintelligence is co-sponsored by IIR-ICSA-JIS in the City of
the Roses--the world-famous Tournament of Roses--in sunny Southern
California, with many cultural & sightseeing opportunities (online via Zoom).
All conference participants must pre-register. Abstracts (250 words) due: September 15, 2024: c/o Dr. O.
Gruenwald, JIS Editor, 1065 Pine Bluff Drive, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA, per e-mail (no attachments) to:
info@jis3.org. Include: Paper Title, First & Last Name, faculty or student, institution, mailing address,
telephone & e-mail. Fully-developed papers will be considered for publication in the refereed Journal ofInterdisciplinary Studies XXXVII 2025. Web: https://www.jis3.org/icsax2024.

ICSA XDNA +AI SUPERINTELLIGENCE:UTOPIA OR DYSTOPIA?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________CONFERENCE STRUCTURE:
Main Conference Program via Zoom: Saturday, 19 October 2024.
Format: Multidisciplinary panels and papers.
Leitmotif: In search of a more ethical, humane technology that benefits all.
Sponsors: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, International
Christian Studies Association.
Hosted By: Omega Graduate School. Dr. David C. Ward, Zoom Coordinator.
Registration: Donation (tax-deductible). Online Option via PayPal: Use PayPal Donate
Button on ICSA X 2024 web: https://www.jis3.org/icsax2024.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ICSA X. WORLD CONGRESS 2024 REGISTRATION FORM:
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Mail Form & Payment to: Dr. O. Gruenwald, 1065 Pine Bluff Dr., Pasadena, CA 91107, USA.
For Credit Card: Use PayPal Donate Button on JIS Web: https://www.jis3.org/icsax2024