Jinjun Xiong was in the early stages of his career, focusing on AI technology at IBM, when the company’s Watson computer achieved a significant milestone by outperforming top human players on “Jeopardy!” in 2011. This triumph marked a pivotal moment in the advancement of natural language processing, information retrieval, and other fundamental aspects of AI. Despite the remarkable feat, Xiong found himself contemplating how AI could be leveraged to assist humans rather than merely surpassing them.
Currently serving as a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor and heading UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Xiong is deeply engaged in developing AI solutions aimed at enhancing society.
In a recent installment of Driven to Discover, Xiong engages in a conversation with host Cory Nealon, who serves as the director of news content in University Communications. They delve into the pivotal realization that influenced Xiong’s career trajectory, shed light on the AI initiatives that excite him the most at UB, and advocate for a shift in perspective towards embracing the vast potential of AI rather than fixating on its perceived drawbacks.
