Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant or abstract technology. It is already shaping education, healthcare, employment, elections, public policy, and even the way institutions make decisions affecting people’s lives. In this presentation, LWV Chicago Vice President John Engle will offer an overview of what AI is, how it works, where the technology is heading, and why it matters for democracy.
The talk will examine both the promise and the dangers of AI, including its environmental costs, impact on truth and public trust, risks in healthcare and military decision-making, emerging concerns around AI-generated abuse and self-harm, and the central accountability question: if machines cannot be held responsible, how do we ensure humans remain accountable?
About the Speaker
John Engle is Vice President of LWV Chicago, as well as its resident historian and subject-matter expert on emerging and frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and new energy. A political strategist, writer, market commentator and communications consultant, John brings deep experience in public policy, government affairs, and innovation.
John currently serves as Chief Strategist at Purpose Brand, in addition to his independent political consulting practice. He works across communications, advocacy, political strategy, and public affairs. He has advised civic, nonprofit, public-sector, and private-sector clients on complex issues ranging from infrastructure and economic development to housing, technology, democracy reform, and public accountability. John holds degrees from the University of Oxford, Trinity College Dublin, and the London School of Economics, and has written widely on history, politics, political theory, markets, and tech innovation.