Join us for an evening with Professor Gomezgil Yaspik, PhD, MBA, MA from Bowdoin College—a leading voice in trustworthy AI systems, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and human-centered algorithmic governance.

Professor Yaspik will presenting her latest research on moral dilemmas in AI and the default effect in large language models, then leading a hands-on workshop where you'll build a RAG system yourself.

Part 1: Values, Defaults, and Hidden Biases Through real-world examples, Professor Yaspik will explore how large language models can encode implicit moral frameworks, reproduce biases, and make ambiguous judgments—often without transparency. Drawing from her latest academic research, she'll introduce the "default effect" and what it means for institutions and education.

Part 2: A Beginner's Guide to RAG The second half offers a hands-on, accessible introduction to Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)—a technique that grounds AI outputs in trusted, verifiable sources. You'll learn what RAG is, why it matters, and walk through building a simple RAG pipeline step by step.

No technical background required. This talk is designed for curious minds at all levels.

You Will Leave With:

Understanding of the default effect and its risks in high-stakes environments
A practical grasp of RAG models and how they promote trustworthy AI
Confidence to start building your own RAG systems—even from zero

Please be advised: Unfortunately, space is very limited at these community events and we can not always accept everyone we would like to. If you are not accepted to this event, please keep applying! We appreciate your application tremendously and we are looking forward to seeing you at a future event very soon!

The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 150,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.

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The AI Collective Washington DC | RAG Models, Moral Dilemmas, and the Default Effect in AI