Panel Discussion, AI in Academia & Industry: Thinking past hype

Panel Guests: Ahmad Rushdi, Syed Ahmar Shah, Dr. Abubakar Abid, & Nazneen Rajani Panel Moderators: Ehsaneddin Asgari & Mansur Ali Khan Title: AI in Academia & Industry: Thinking past hype

Themes of discussion: Application & Evaluation of GenAI: with respect to the Muslim communities, contexts, and contributions; across academia and industry. AI Safety & Responsibility: How safety, governance, and responsible deployment affect communities and what role we as the Muslim Community should play in it, with an emphasis on healthcare and real-world systems

Description: This panel brings together experts from Stanford, the University of Edinburgh, Gradio, and Collinear to move beyond AI hype and examine real impacts across academia, industry, and Muslim communities. Speakers will discuss GenAI applications, evaluation, equitable deployment, and lessons bridging research and startups. The session then turns to AI safety, including legislation, responsible robotics, healthcare challenges, and safeguarding models from bias. Panelists will explore how transparency, governance, and Explainable AI can strengthen trust in high-stakes settings. Attendees will gain clear, actionable insights into building reliable, ethical, community-centered AI systems, followed by audience Q&A and closing reflections.