LECTURE: AI & Popular Culture: Dr. Erik K. Trump

Join us for an evening lecture with Dr. Erik K. Trump of Saginaw Valley State University on AI and popular political culture. Registration is required.

From microfiche to e-books, libraries have long adapted to technological change—but does AI mark a turning point? In this thought-provoking talk, Erik Trump explores how generative AI is already reshaping the way we read, write, and conduct research, and what that might mean for public knowledge, literacy, and libraries. Drawing on both contemporary concerns and cultural anxieties rooted in decades of fiction, the lecture invites the audience to consider how our feelings about AI are deeply tied to broader political and cultural narratives. Along the way, attendees will see demonstrations of AI tools in action—and reflect on what human curiosity, discernment, and imagination still bring to the table.

Dr. Erik Trump directs the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Saginaw Valley State University, where he also teaches and writes about the intersections of politics, culture, and technology. He’s especially interested in how tools like generative AI are reshaping how we read, write, and think—and what that means for education and democratic life.