AI isn’t a shortcut: How Mainers can unlock its potential

Artificial intelligence is poised to transform how people live and work. Nearly one-quarter of Maine’s workers face significant AI-related job changes, according to a 2024 report published by the U.S. Office of Economic Policy. 

To stay competitive, researchers from the University of Maine offer leaders in business, policy and education various resources to learn to harness AI’s potential while mitigating its risks. The technology advances and changes at breakneck speed, making it difficult for those outside the industry to keep up. To help Mainers adapt, UMaine partnered with experts across the state and nation to host an annual one-day conference on the latest AI developments and their implications. 

The Maine Artificial Intelligence Conference on June 13 at UMaine’s Collins Center for the Arts in Orono builds on last year’s sold-out event, providing Maine’s early adopters an affordable opportunity to discuss how to use AI to solve real-world problems responsibly. 

“We often view AI as another means for automation and process enhancement, while this is only a small sliver of this multidimensional technology,” said Ali Abedi, associate vice president for research at UMaine who leads the conference’s planning committee as well as the university’s AI Initiative. “With the rise of artificial general intelligence (AGI), researchers aspire to develop new software with human-level precision in reasoning, self-learning, and sensing. This conference passes the AI light through a prism and reveals its many components.”  

As they prepare for the upcoming conference, here are three things Maine’s leading experts say people should know about AI: 

Getting started with AI

Business leaders at the inaugural conference last summer emphasized that AI is not a shortcut — companies need a thorough understanding of their problems before adopting AI solutions. Designing AI-embedded workflows for more efficient business operations, for example, requires a deep understanding of what the specialist knows. Small to midsize businesses may find some technologies, like AI-enhanced software and automation, more accessible than they think, the panel also noted.

Illuminating the black box

The way AI works is not widely understood and there is a widespread belief that only a select few can understand it. For its ability to demystify this emerging technology for the general public, Responsible AI, which focuses on accountability, transparency and fairness, was extolled during the 2024 event. The approach helps developers and users be aware of potential biases that AI systems may inherit from their training data or prompts. 

Safeguards are essential

Ethical AI use requires collaboration across disciplines. The 2024 policy panel stressed the need for global ethical standards akin to those in biomedical research to ensure AI serves both business and society.

What to expect in 2025

The 2025 conference builds on the inaugural event and addresses key questions posed by participants in event feedback. 

“The unique nature of this event is the way we bring together industry, government and academic experts in one room to reveal the multifaceted perspective of AI and how it will impact various sectors of our economy and daily life,” said Pips Veazey, director of UMaine’s Portland Gateway. “This conference provides the ideal setting to highlight how a team approach can help organizations approach challenges and opportunities presented by AI.”

Sessions will include guidance about how to use AI to enhance teaching and creativity. They will also offer practical guidance on how to manage AI data quality, security and integration. Participants will learn how to navigate regulations and weigh the legal risks that using AI technology may pose. 

The conference, which is sponsored by UMaine and the Maine Technology Institute, will also offer the opportunity for Mainers to network and share their perspectives with people who are leading the integration of AI in policy, higher education and business. Register by June 6 to attend.

How AI will impact Maine’s workforce remains an open question. If they act now, Mainers have an opportunity to shape what AI means for our state. 

Contact: Erin Miller; erin.miller@maine.edu