Artificial intelligence is advancing at a pace few could have imagined just a few years ago. It is already changing how students learn, how businesses operate, how doctors diagnose disease, how software is created, and even how we communicate with one another. But where is it all heading?
On Saturday, Sept. 26, from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m. at the Alan Harvey Theater, community members will have a unique opportunity to explore that question with some of the people working at the forefront of artificial intelligence.
“AI: Will It Save or End the World?” will take place at the Alan Harvey Theater at Piedmont High School and will feature a screening of the acclaimed 2026 documentary “The AI Doc”, followed by a live panel discussion and audience Q&A.
The panel brings together four technology and media leaders:
Jeff Bleich, Chief Legal Officer at Anthropic, will bring a perspective from one of the world’s leading AI companies and from his extensive experience in law, government and technology.
Marco Casalaina, VP Products, Core AI and AI Futurist at Microsoft, leads Microsoft’s AI Futures team, which identifies emerging AI trends and develops products aimed at the next generation of artificial intelligence. He previously led teams across Azure AI, including Azure OpenAI, Responsible AI and AI Studio.
Clara Shih, founder of New Work Foundation and advisor to Meta Business AI, is the former CEO of Salesforce AI and a TIME100 AI honoree.
Emily Chang, host and executive producer at Bloomberg Media and one of the country’s best-known technology journalists, will moderate the discussion.
The evening is intended not as a technical seminar, but as a community conversation about questions increasingly confronting families, students, educators and businesses:
Is AI developing too quickly? How will it change education and the careers today’s students are preparing for? Which jobs will disappear, which will be transformed, and which new ones will emerge? Can increasingly powerful AI systems be trusted? And how can society capture the enormous potential benefits of AI while managing its risks?
Those questions may be especially relevant for high school students, who are encouraged to attend, as the film and panel will address how AI could affect university choices, careers and the skills young people will need in a rapidly changing economy.
The program will begin with a screening of “The AI Doc”, examining the extraordinary opportunities and potential dangers presented by artificial intelligence. Following the film, Chang will lead the panelists in a discussion before opening the conversation to questions directly from the audience.
Sponsored by Piedmont Unified Schools, Piedmont Parents Network, and Piedmont Makers, Tickets are available with a $50 donation per person, with all proceeds going to Piedmont Boosters.
Buy tickets and learn more HERE