During Friday鈥檚 third annual AI+X Symposium, Run Wang, a graduate student in USF鈥檚 College of Education, asked an industry panel whether earning a degree is still necessary if someone without one but fluent in AI was able to show the ability to do the same skill in the workforce.
Run Wang, a graduate student in USF鈥檚 College of Education, speaks to the panel members during the symposium Friday.
The panel didn鈥檛 flinch. They unanimously agreed the pursuit of a degree was still important but with the caveat 鈥 new graduates still need to build their skills in artificial intelligence tools, no matter what discipline they studied.
Kemal Kvakic, the head of innovation for Raymond James, said the alignment of education at USF with the needs of industry is already preparing students for the jobs that are needed in the future. And those coming out with that experience and AI skills will be very valuable.
鈥淎 junior member with AI experience is stronger than a senior member without AI,鈥 he said. 鈥淎I is where it鈥檚 at.鈥
Kvakic was one of the four members on the panel, which included professionals from McAfee, Raymond James, Jabil and the Greenberg Traurig law firm, was optimistic of the future workforce and new graduates.
Vivian Sun, Jabil鈥檚 senior director of data and AI enterprise, architecture and IT transformation, added that adaptability is very important for the future of the workforce.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 learn how to adapt now, you will have to learn it later,鈥 she said. 鈥淎daptability is very important. Stay very curious about what鈥檚 happening and be creative about problem solving. Train on those skills because those skills will not go away in your whole life.鈥
Wang鈥檚 question was one of many asked of that panel and several others during the course of the day. This was the purpose the annual symposium serves 鈥 to gather researchers, faculty, students and industry professionals for a day that focuses on how artificial intelligence is reshaping disciplines across academia, industry and its on everyday life.
But the annual symposium didn鈥檛 just focus on the future of the workforce. The AI+X Symposium brought together about 200 experts from fields including medicine, cybersecurity, engineering, business, education and the sciences.
Programming throughout the day featured keynote presentations, expert panels and research discussions examining both the technical advancement of artificial intelligence and the ethical and societal questions emerging alongside its rapid adoption.
A featured highlight of the symposium included a morning keynote address by Walter Scheirer, the Dennis O. Doughty Collegiate Professor of Engineering at the University of Notre Dame.
Scheirer鈥檚 talk explored the long history of manipulated imagery and its modern evolution through generative AI. During his talk, Scheirer encouraged attendees to rethink how authenticity, perception and trust operate in an era where AI generated media is becoming increasingly convincing and widespread.
Scheirer鈥檚 presentation explored the history of photographic manipulation, starting with an 1840 French image that depicted a deceased man, created as a political protest against the French government at the time. That historical dive also included the face swapping image of the 1960 U.S. hockey team, prop placement in images, photo retouching methods, photomontages, the rise of Adobe Photoshop, double exposures, along with deletion of objects in both the analog and digital worlds.
Now as AI tools capable of creating hyper鈥憆ealistic visuals become more accessible, Scheirer emphasized the need for critical thinking, ethical frameworks and technical literacy to help navigate what is real, what is synthetic and how those distinctions shape public perception.
Throughout the day, panel discussions and presentations also examined AI applications
across healthcare and biology, emerging advances in machine learning and technical
innovation and the broader societal implications of AI technologies.
Presenters shared ongoing research and real鈥憌orld use cases that demonstrated how
AI tools are already being integrated into workflows across multiple domains.
The symposium鈥檚 afternoon keynote speaker, Dr. Michelle Thompson, discussed how artificial intelligence is transforming the prevention, management and reversal of chronic disease through personalized, data driven lifestyle interventions. Thompson highlighted the convergence of AI, behavioral science and clinical care, framing technology not as a replacement for clinicians, but as a powerful copilot in delivering precision lifestyle medicine at scale.
Beyond patient outcomes, Thompson鈥檚 presentation addressed the growing challenge of physician burnout and wellbeing. She also discussed how AI tools, including intelligent documentation support and workflow automation can reduce administrative burden, allowing medical professionals to better focus on patient connection and improved care.
Beyond formal presentations, the symposium also provided opportunities for networking and informal collaboration. Faculty and researchers connected with industry partners, while students engaged with professionals working across AI鈥慸riven fields.
By convening experts from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, the AI+X Symposium will continue to serve as a platform for advancing research, dialogue and innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence and every discipline.