The NAU Review — American AI + Korean slang, getting to know Robert Wallace and register now for Amplifying Voices of Disability

Jan. 25, 2024

The NAU Review. The official news source for Northern Arizona University.

Does American AI understand Korean slang?

If I posted that a movie was “fire,” most American English speakers would understand the meaning—I liked the movie. But what if a bot, untrained on the intricacies of slang, read it? Would the AI assume the movie was on fire? Or was about fire? Or that the movie theater was on fire? Can an AI tool, trained in one language, accurately interpret the cultural and linguistic nuances of other languages? That’s an important consideration for the U.S. Department of Defense, which is funding linguistics professor Scott Jarvis’ research into the practical use of AI in information-gathering.

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Headshots of Emily Ladau and Rasheera Dopson

Register for Amplifying Voices of Disability

Hear from well-known disability activists and self-advocates on important, timely issues at this IHD-sponsored virtual event. Early registration runs through Feb. 1.

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Weeks in review

After a restful holiday with family in Puerto Rico, President Cruz Rivera started the new semester back in the classroom teaching first-year electrical engineering students, preparing for a Board of Regents meeting, convening with the cabinet, visiting the NAU Foundation Board and other activities as we embark on NAU’s 125th year of excellence.

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Robert Wallace (fourth from left) with his band in front of the Peaks

Humans of NAU
with Robert Wallace

Wallace does a little bit of everything—music, writing, art, mentoring, poetry, nature, comic books, world events. As a professor in the Honors College, every day has a little bit of everything too. He talked about his work as a teacher, writer and musician and how pivotal the San Francisco Peaks have been in his life.

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