Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

In teknovation.biz, we frequently feature artificial intelligence and its grip on various industries. It’s undeniable that the technology is changing the way we work, think, interact, and operate. It helps humans be more efficient in nearly every way. You can use it for sending emails, managing tasks, streamlining operations, recipe suggestions, code generation, cybersecurity, the list goes on and on. But, what if AI is also slowly harming us? What if the adverse side affects of this artificial technology outweigh the good. Only time will tell.

To address the tough questions, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC) hosted a panel with three of Knoxville’s most prominent AI experts: Dr. Ozelm Kilic the Founding Dean for the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Dr. Amir Sadovnik, theResearch Lead for the newly established Center for AI Security Research (CAISER) at Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), and John Derrick, the Founder of Authentrics (one of the hottest AI companies in the Southeast). It was moderated by Marcus Blair with Omega Business Solutions.

The discussion opened with a clear consensus: the AI landscape is advancing at an unprecedented pace. Sadovnik noted that even as recently as 2020, many of the top AI researchers couldn’t have predicted the level of progress we’ve seen by 2025.

With such rapid development, keeping up with policy has become a challenge. This holds true across federal, state, and local levels, as well as within universities. Kilic added that some students are quick to adopt AI tools, while others hesitate due to uncertainty about guidelines and rules.

The conversation touched on how AI is reshaping various fields. All three panelists agreed that AI will fundamentally change how we live and work, though they had differing views on the scope of these changes.

“There will come a time when AI can sort, filter, and respond to emails in a tone that sounds like you. You could step away for a week, and your AI assistant would continue seamlessly,” Derrick said. “Maybe – nobody would even know you were gone.”

Kilic expanded on this, noting that AI is enabling a new level of personalization and customization that’s never been seen before. Whether for individuals or businesses, AI is allowing for the creation of tailored experiences that align with specific needs and preferences.

The discussion also explored how AI might transform business operations, with AI assistants potentially replacing websites as the primary point of interaction for customers. In the future, even small businesses could deploy AI models to handle customer inquiries, solve problems, and provide information. Essentially, turning a team of two into a team of (what feels like) 10.

However, the panelists raised concerns about the long-term implications.

Kilic warned, “Right now, it’s good—because the data being fed into these models is created by humans. But what happens when AI-generated content dominates, and we start to lose that human touch?”

The conversation then shifted to more sobering topics. Derrick shared the importance of being cautious about the data we share with AI systems.

“We need to be wary of what personal information we connect to AI,” he said, citing the lack of clear policies and the potential for bad actors to exploit these systems.

Sadovnik added that cybersecurity concerns are growing as AI evolves.

“AI researchers are warning that if we continue at this pace without proper safeguards, this technology could slowly kill us,” he said. “Some scientists are even suggesting that AI could eventually perceive humans as a threat and behave in unintended ways.”

As AI continues to alter industries and everyday activities, the panel said it’s essential to stay mindful of both its vast potential and its limitations. Kilic assured audience members in attendance that the perceived threats of AI on human capability to think critically, reason, and cognitively excel is something the university is examining closely.

“Only time will tell,” Derrick concluded.

For more information on the KEC, visit the website.

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