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Hello all,
The University of Scranton is hosting an interdisciplinary national conference "Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence" April 16-18. We would love for you to join us either as presenters or attendees!
Interdisciplinary themes span arts & humanities, business, education, healthcare, law/policy, library and information science, philosophy, science, theology, social sciences, social justice, and more.
Please see the full prospectus below for details but here are some important dates:
Call For Proposals now open; proposals due Nov. 14, 2025; notifications Dec. 5;
Registration opens Dec. 8; early-bird registration ends Jan. 30, 2026.
Submissions and questions can be sent to AI-Ethics@Scranton.edu.
Thank you!
Kate Cummings
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Kate Cummings, MLIS, MBA
Research & Instruction Librarian
Assistant Professor, Weinberg Memorial Library
The University of Scranton
PROSPECTUS:
Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
A National Interdisciplinary Conference hosted by The University of Scranton
April 16, 17, 18, 2026
Scranton, Pennsylvania
About the Conference
The University of Scranton, a Catholic and Jesuit University with a strong liberal arts tradition, invites scholars, practitioners, students, and professionals to participate in a National Interdisciplinary Conference on Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, scheduled for April 16, 17, and 18, 2026.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping every dimension of our lives. It has clear impacts on social, economic, educational, scientific, artistic, and ecological spheres. The potential for AI is immense, but its adoption and use raise critical ethical questions. Ranging from algorithmic bias, ambient surveillance, labor displacement, the future of education, and its impact on human creativity and fulfillment. As it stands, the AI landscape demands discernment and ethical reflection.
This conference seeks to bring together diverse voices to explore, critique, and reimagine AI through the lens of ethics, understood broadly to include philosophical, religious, cultural, legal, medical, environmental, artistic, and social perspectives.
Conference Themes
We invite submissions that engage with the ethics of artificial intelligence in both specific and general applications. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Arts & Humanities: AI in creativity, authorship, performance, and cultural identity.
- Business: Automation, labor ethics, and corporate responsibility.
- Education: AI in teaching, learning, and research integrity; utilizing AI for student success initiatives and learning accommodations; ethical applications and questions related to AI in scholarly activity; AI in K-12 education.
- Environmental Impact: AI and sustainability, climate modeling, and AI resource consumption.
- Healthcare & Medicine: Projection models for patient disease development; treatment individuation; individualized medicine; bias in treatment.
- Law & Policy: Privacy and data usage; the legitimacy of AI in governance.
- Library & Information Science: AI and the new digital divide; algorithimic bias; AI accuracy, mis- and dis-information.
- Philosophy: AI as moral agents; AI's effect on human autonomy and decision making; human-AI interfaces and the locus of moral responsibility.
- Science : AI fabrication of scientific data or references; legitimacy of sources for AI training; drug discovery; intellectual property of data from AI discoveries.
- Theology: AI in moral theology and bioethics; AI applications in Catholic healthcare; theological responses to AI development, including those offered in light of Antiqua et nova (2025).
- Social Justice & Equity: Accessibility, bias, and discrimination in AI systems.
- Social Sciences: AI as a research tool for data analysis and methodology; AI systems as social entities and their behavioral impacts; algorithmic bias in social research; AI's effects on human social structures and interactions.
Conference Format
We envision the final program to include:
- Keynote Lecture by a leading voice in AI and ethics.
- Plenary Panels featuring interdisciplinary perspectives.
- Paper Presentations (20-minute talks with 10 minutes of Q&A) organized by theme.
- Roundtables and Workshops on emerging ethical challenges.
- Seven-minute Lightning Talks for students and early-stage projects.
- Posters showcasing research, case studies, and practical applications.
Submission Guidelines
We welcome proposals for individual papers, panels, workshops, posters, or creative presentations. Submissions should include:
- Proposed Title
- Abstract (250-300 words) clearly outlining the project and its ethical dimension(s).
- Disciplinary Alignment or Keywords (up to 5 keywords) that help to categorize your proposal.
- Format Preference (paper, panel, interactive discussion/workshop, or 7-minute lightning talk).
- Short Bio (100-300 words) for each presenter, including institutional affiliation.
All submissions will undergo blind peer review by the interdisciplinary planning committee.
Please submit the above information to AI-Ethics@Scranton.edu.
Important Dates
- Call for Abstracts Opens: September 2025
- Submission Deadline: November 14, 2025
- Notification of Acceptance: December 5, 2025
- Registration Opens: December 8, 2025
- Early Bird Registration Ends: January 30, 2026
- Final Program Announced: February 2026
- Refunds: Full refunds available until March 13, 2026; no refunds after
- Conference Dates: April 16, 17, 18, 2026
Location
The University of Scranton, nestled in the scenic Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, provides an ideal setting for thoughtful and collaborative dialogue.
Scranton, PA, is directly served by the Scranton / Wilkes-Barre International Airport (AVP), but the campus is within a 2.5-hour drive of New York City, NY, and Philadelphia, PA, and their respective airports.
Mission Alignment
Rooted in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition, this conference advances the University of Scranton's mission to foster moral reflection, critical inquiry, and the pursuit of justice. By bringing together voices across disciplines, the conference affirms that the ethical challenges of AI cannot be confronted by a single discipline, but instead require the collective wisdom of the arts, business professionals, health professionals, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and technologists.
Registration and Accommodations
· Faculty/Professionals (Early Bird until January 30, 2026): $100
· Faculty/Professional (January 31 onward): $125
· Graduate & Undergraduate Students: $50
· Affiliates of The University of Scranton: Free, but space is limited.
Coffee and other light refreshments are complimentary during the conference; the conference dinner is included in the registration fee.
Registration is required for all attendees, though the conference is open to the public.
Hotel reservations must be made separately; discounted blocks of rooms will be available at the Scranton Hilton. The code will be provided after you register for the conference.
Travel is the responsibility of attendees.
Contact
For questions, please contact AI-Ethics@Scranton.edu
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Kate Cummings
Research and Instruction Librarian
University of Scranton
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