University of Maryland
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Dr. Regli is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland at College Park, where he was the founding Executive Director (2018-2023) of the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security—the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) for the United States Department of Defense for the Defense Intelligence Enterprise. In addition to the University of Maryland, he has held positions on the leadership team of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA); as a member of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; as a member of the US Air Force Scientific Advisory Board; and as well as previous appointments with Drexel University, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Labs and AT&T Research. His research focuses on applications of artificial intelligence to problems in national security, engineering, manufacturing, communications, and other domains. Regli has published more than 250 technical articles and produced five U.S. Patents in the area of 3D CAD search. Dr. Regli holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland at College Park and Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Saint Joseph’s University. He is an elected Senior Member of both the ACM and AAAI; and a Fellow of AAAS and IEEE for his “contributions to 3D search, design repositories and intelligent manufacturing”.
Abstract:
Today’s developments around Artificial Intelligence are being driven by opposing forces. One views AI as humanity’s grasping of Promethean fire whereas others see existential risk and threats to human safety, privacy, and wellbeing. We might hope that the reality is somewhere in between; and we might suspect that the reason for these extreme views is that we probably have the problems around AI framed incorrectly.
This presentation attempts to summarize my views regarding current AI developments that I have developed during my decade away from academia in various roles in public service, especially my time at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as the Senior Advisor for AI Risk. The bottom line, upfront:
— Current AI narratives are techno-philic and need to be re-framed because the thorniest problems are decidedly non-technical—they are mostly about AI’s interaction with, and influence on, people and society;
— The impacts of AI, operating at various levels in our society (ranging from individuals to our planetary community as a whole), are going to be uneven in scale, speed, and impact.
— Unlike physics and engineering we do not yet have the required level of scientific understanding about AI and its effects on people and society needed to establish rigorous engineering practices and manage its use; and, lastly
This talk will suggest ways in which we might frame these emerging issues and an approach to constrain and address that draws on ideas from Security Engineering. In the end, I hope to provide a unique perspective on recent developments in AI and a tangible means by which we might address these daunting emerging challenges.
Monday, October 12, 2026 Zoom Link Meeting ID: 930 5474 2187 Passcode: 657225 Amy Gutmann Hall, Room 414 3317 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
