Illinois Libraries Present: Inside the Empire of AI with Karen Hao

Join a timely conversation with Karen Hao, award-winning journalist and author of Inside the Empire of AI. In this virtual event, Hao will explore the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the social, political, and ethical questions surrounding AI development today, and the questions posed in her work – Will AI produce broad-based societal benefit for all? Or return us to an age of empire? The path forward is in our hands. Whether you’re excited about AI, cautious about it, or just trying to understand the hype, this event offers an accessible look at one of today’s biggest technological shifts.

Karen Hao is the instant New York Times bestselling author of Empire of AI and named one of the most influential people in AI by Time. She is lead designer of the Pulitzer Center’s AI Spotlight series as well as co-host of BBC’s podcast, The Interface. The first journalist to ever profile OpenAI, Hao was formerly a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, covering American and Chinese tech companies, and a senior editor for AI at MIT Technology Review. Her work has been cited by Congress, featured in university curriculums, and remade into museum exhibits.    Karen Hao QR Code and Registration Link Graphic (1) <– Click Here to Register: 

Thursday, Sep. 17 2026 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Venue: Hayner Library

132 Alton Square, Alton, IL 62002