Statistics and AI: A Fireside Conversation
Lin, Xihong Cai, Tianxi Donoho, David Fu, Haoda Ke, Tracy Jin, Jiashun Meng, Xiao-Li Qu, Annie Shi, Chengchun Song, Peter
Lin, Xihong
Cai, Tianxi
Donoho, David
Fu, Haoda
Ke, Tracy
Jin, Jiashun
Meng, Xiao-Li
Qu, Annie
Shi, Chengchun
Song, Peter
Supervisor
Department
Statistics and Data Science
Embargo End Date
Type
Journal article
Date
2025
License
Language
English
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
A 3-hour webinar titled “Statistics and AI – A Fireside Conversation” was held on Sunday, March 17, 2024, attracting an online audience of approximately 1,000. The event featured three sessions aimed at engaging the statistical community on key topics in the AI era: addressing statistical challenges and opportunities (Panel I), evolving the publication process (Panel II), and advancing next-generation statistical pipelines and resources (Panel III). Panel I examined issues such as dwindling talent, shifting funding landscapes, and AI's rapid rise, highlighting the need for statistical rigor, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative approaches to shape the future of AI. Panel II emphasized the importance of streamlining the publication process, fostering impactful research, and prioritizing workflows and data quality. Panel III focused on modernizing statistical education by integrating AI and deep learning, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and maintaining foundational principles such as uncertainty and reproducibility. These discussions collectively outlined a strategic roadmap for ensuring the relevance and advancement of statistics in the age of AI.These discussions were organized by (in alphabetical order) Xihong Lin (Harvard University), Tracy Ke (Harvard University), Tian Zheng (Columbia University), Jing Zhou (University of California at Los Angeles), and Hongtu Zhu (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).In the dynamic landscape of statistical science, the fireside chat organized by the Stats Up AI Alliance (https://statsupai.org/) and the International Chinese Statistical Association (ICSA) emerged as a seminal event, bringing together leading experts to explore the evolving role of statistics in the era of artificial intelligence.
Citation
X. Lin et al., “Statistics and AI: A Fireside Conversation,” Harv Data Sci Rev, vol. 7, no. 2, Apr. 2025, doi: 10.1162/99608F92.C066FE9C.
Source
Harvard Data Science Review
Conference
Keywords
Artificial intelligence, Statistical research, Publication culture, Statistics education, Reproducibility, Team science
Subjects
Source
Publisher
MIT Press