This webinar traced anthropology’s long engagement with artificial intelligence, from the pioneering interdisciplinary conversations at the Macy Conferences on Cybernetics to the present day. Participants explored how these historical foundations inform today’s debates and examined how anthropologists continue to interpret and influence the evolving world of AI.
Part of the AI Anthropology Pipeline Initiative, a series of events supported by the National Science Foundation and organized in conjunction with the SfAA 2026 Annual Meeting. The initiative aims to build pathways for anthropologists to contribute to multidisciplinary AI development teams.