Arun Rai, a scholar with over 35 years of experience studying digital innovation in organizations and communities, will deliver the University of Georgia’s annual Ethics Week Lecture on November 7. The event, hosted by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, will take place from 11 a.m. to noon at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries auditorium. The lecture is titled “Responsible AI for the Future of Work” and is open to the public at no cost, though registration is encouraged.
“This lecture is an exciting opportunity for our students and faculty to hear from someone who has played a critical role in shaping knowledge of the digital transformation of organizations, supply chains, communities, platform ecosystems and markets for more than three decades,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the university. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Rai share his depth of knowledge on such a timely, relevant topic with our campus community.”
Rai holds positions as Regents’ Professor and Howard S. Starks Distinguished Chair in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. He co-founded and directs the Center for Digital Innovation at Robinson College, which focuses on interdisciplinary research through industry-university partnerships.
His current research addresses responsible use of artificial intelligence in relation to future work environments, including jobs and skills development, human–AI collaboration, and fairness considerations. Rai also explores how research connects with education and policy in this area.
He leads as principal investigator for the Georgia Hub of Pathways for AI Training and Hiring—a partnership among Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and Google aimed at developing pathways between higher education institutions, businesses, and government entities for AI skill-building initiatives. Rai serves on Georgia’s AI Advisory Council and provides executive education programs focused on AI strategy and workforce transformation to leadership teams in major organizations. His accolades include the Association for Information Systems LEO Award for Lifetime Exceptional Achievement as well as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Influential Leader Award.
The Ethics Week Lecture forms part of Ethics Awareness Week—a University System of Georgia initiative across all its institutions—meant to highlight core values such as integrity, excellence, accountability, and respect. The University of Georgia’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to fostering an ethical culture on campus while raising awareness about available ethics resources.
