AI Nights at Vista Brings Big Names, Questions to Southern Utah

Artificial intelligence is already changing classrooms, hospitals, creative industries and businesses, and a new September speaker series in Ivins aims to help Southern Utah better understand what that means close to home.

AI Speaker Series

Vista School is launching AI Nights at Vista, a four-week community speaker series featuring experts from Utah Tech University, GE HealthCare, Disney Studios and Southern Utah’s business and technology community. The events will be held each Thursday in September at 6:30 p.m. in the Vista School Proscenium Theater.

The Series Schedule

The series begins Sept. 3 with AI in Education, featuring Dr. Aaron Davis of Utah Tech University. The discussion will focus on how AI is changing the way students learn, the tools educators are already using, and the skills students may need for future careers.
On Sept. 10, Dr. Matthew Middione, director of Research and Scientific Affairs at GE HealthCare, will lead a discussion on AI in Healthcare. Topics include how AI is improving patient care, current medical applications, privacy and safety concerns, and what could be coming next in health care.
The Sept. 17 event turns to AI in the Creative Arts. Adam Nusinow of Disney Studios will discuss how artificial intelligence is being used in movie production, how entertainment professionals evaluate new technology, and where AI can save time without replacing the human creativity behind the work.
The series wraps up Sept. 24 with AI in Business, featuring a panel of Southern Utah business and technology leaders, including representatives from Vasion, Zonos and the What’s Happening Southern Utah app. The discussion will focus on how local companies are using AI now and how the technology could change jobs, productivity and business operations in the years ahead.

How to Be a Part of the Series

The goal of AI Nights at Vista is broader than explaining the technology itself. Organizers want Southern Utah residents talking about what AI means for their children, careers, medical care, creativity and local economy.

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Tickets are $15 for individual events or four for $50, with seating limited. AI may be global technology, but the questions surrounding it are increasingly local. This series gives Southern Utah residents a chance to hear directly from people using it in the real world and decide for themselves where the opportunities and concerns may lie.