Overview
Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace, raising important questions about how it will shape our communities, institutions and future. But many of the decisions that will determine how AI serves society are happening largely within academia, industry and government.
Join nationally recognized AI policymakers and civic leaders for an in-person public forum exploring the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence, the policies and guardrails needed to govern it and the role informed citizens can play in shaping its future.
The forum will bring together diverse perspectives from across government, policy and technology to help bridge the gap between expert knowledge and public understanding at a pivotal moment in AI’s evolution.
The event is presented in partnership with the Michigan Institute for Data and AI in Society (MIDAS), Center for Humane Technology, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and University of Michigan School of Information, with support from Michigan Libraries, Michigan Library Association and American Library Association.
This panel discussion will be livestreamed statewide. Following the event, public libraries will receive an educational toolkit to support continued community conversations about responsible AI governance.
Speakers
Alex Bores
New York State Assembly Member
Moderator
Bio
Alex Bores is a New York State Assemblymember representing the 73rd District, covering Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Midtown, and Murray Hill. As the first member of his party in state government with a degree in computer science, he has been a leading voice in crafting AI regulations to ensure responsible innovation and consumer protection. His Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, which was signed by the Governor in December 2026, exemplifies his commitment to bringing transparency, accountability, and safety to emerging technologies. Before his election, he worked as a software engineer and data expert, leveraging technology to improve government efficiency. His legislative work spans AI governance, cybersecurity, consumer protection, and modernizing public services.
Mallory McMorrow
Michigan State Senator
Panelist
Bio
Mallory McMorrow is a Michigan State Senator, Senate Majority Whip, and Chair of the Senate’s Economic and Community Development Committee. Her legislative record centers on Michigan kids and families — universal school meals, expanded childcare, sweeping gun safety laws — and has increasingly turned toward technology, including the Kids Over Clicks online safety package and legislation on data privacy and surveillance pricing. Axios described her as among the first Democrats seeking national office in 2026 to release a comprehensive plan for children’s online safety. As a U.S. Senate candidate, she released the policy proposal People Over AI, pairing worker protections — an AI Workforce Reinvestment Fund and apprenticeship program financed by a token tax on commercial AI usage — with safety measures including pre-deployment review of frontier models and a required human in the loop. A former industrial designer, she is the author of Hate Won’t Win.
Eli Savit
Democratic Candidate for Michigan Attorney General
Panelist
Bio
Eli Savit is a born-and-raised Michigander and a dedicated public servant with a proven track record. Raised in Ann Arbor, Eli attended Kalamazoo College—where he played four years of college basketball—before beginning his professional career as a public school history teacher. After teaching eighth-grade special and general education, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. Eli’s legal career is marked by high-level service and landmark advocacy. He worked for two federal judges and served as a law clerk at the United States Supreme Court for Justices Sandra Day O’Connor (ret.) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
As Washtenaw County’s twice-elected Prosecuting Attorney, Eli has spearheaded a justice system focused on rehabilitation, fairness, and safety. Under his leadership, the office established dedicated units focused on sexual and domestic violence—as well as the only unit in a Michigan prosecutor’s office geared towards combatting wage theft and consumer abuse. He has also been a vocal advocate for common-sense gun safety, supporting legislation for “red flag” laws, universal background checks, and safe storage.
Prior to his election, Eli served as Senior Legal Counsel for the City of Detroit. There, he led the City’s successful litigation against the opioid industry and spearheaded the City’s efforts in the “right-to-literacy” lawsuit, which secured nearly $100 million for Detroit public schools. He served as lead lawyer on international negotiations that facilitated construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge. And he negotiated a deal that allowed low-income homeowners subject to a poverty tax exemption to remain in their homes. Eli has also represented multiple states and territories in major environmental litigation, securing nearly $3 billion in relief to date for PFAS and other contamination. In addition to his work as Prosecuting Attorney, Eli is a Lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School.
Pete Furlong
Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Humane Technology, Michigan Attorney General
Panelist
Bio
TBC
Dana Nessel
Michigan Attorney General
Panelist
Bio
A former criminal prosecutor and civil rights attorney, Dana Nessel is currently serving her second term as Michigan’s 54th Attorney General. Since 2019, AG Nessel has fought to uphold and expand consumer protections, recently winning a victory at the Michigan Supreme Court to eliminate carveouts which had weakened the state’s Consumer Protection Act for decades. In 2021, AG Nessel received the National Consumer League’s “Trumpeter Award” in recognition of her outstanding work to protect Michigan consumers. Her Special Litigation division has saved Michigan ratepayers more than $4.6 billion by intervening in every proposed utility rate hike, and she is leading the fight to protect Michigan consumers as more and more data centers look to set up shop in our state.