Free Screening of The Thinking Game: Nov. 8

Documentary Offers Insight on Artificial General Intelligence to Students, Faculty, Staff, and Tech Community

Friday, Nov. 8 @ 3:30 p.m.
David Lawrence Hall, Room 121
FREE admission - Register at pi.tt/ThinkingGame.

The Thinking Game delves into the fascinating potential of artificial general intelligence (AGI), exploring how machines can think, learn, and adapt with human-like intelligence. Directed by an acclaimed documentary team, the film captures pivotal moments in AGI development over five years, including the creation of AlphaFold—a groundbreaking program that solved a 50-year-old challenge in biology. This thought-provoking documentary promises to engage and challenge viewers to reconsider the future of technology and its profound societal implications.

RSVP today and join Pitt Information Technology on Nov. 8. Refreshments will be provided.

A Year of Flavorful Innovation: PASTA Cooks Up AI Collaboration

By Professor Michael J. Madison, University of Pittsburgh School of Law

PASTA, the Pitt AI Scholar-Teacher Alliance, celebrated its one-year anniversary in early October by doing what it does best: convening a diverse group of Pitt researchers, teachers, and senior administrators over lunch for a rich and wide-ranging conversation about project possibilities.

PASTA continues to grow.  Following my note in Pitt Bytes in September, we now have more than 70 “members.” As with any grassroots movement, size is a good problem to have. My colleagues and I, who are helping to steer PASTA, are focusing on governance to clearly outline the opportunities PASTA offers. These include collaborative research and teaching, experiential opportunities for both students and faculty, and wider discussions about the opportunities and critical perspectives associated with Generative AI.

With expanded interest in PASTA, I often get asked: What does PASTA do, exactly? To extend our food metaphor, what is PASTA’s special sauce?

My answer, for now, is this: PASTA is creating a shareable resource of talent and expertise — a pool of people and knowledge from which new projects can grow and on which existing projects can draw.  It is a form of intellectual infrastructure rather than a research project itself.

Like any infrastructure, PASTA’s value lies in the breadth and diversity of “uses” to which that talent pool might contribute.  A faculty member from the School of Medicine may help to energize an idea offered by someone from the Sociology Department. A colleague from the Swanson School of Engineering may end up in conversation with someone from the Economics Department.  Law meets the History of Art, Public Health, and English. PASTA is not cross-disciplinary; PASTA is non-disciplinary.

And like any infrastructure, finding ways to bring appropriate resources to bear — to support it, evolve it, grow it, and make it useful — can be a challenge. Universities everywhere are always looking for external funds to support research, and funders like to pay for projects, not infrastructure.  We don’t ask for anything from those who volunteer to join PASTA, but we are always pleased to find friends who see the value in organizational partnerships.  The more who give — time, talent, and treasure, as fundraisers say — the more there will be for all of us.

To learn more about the group or become part of this exciting journey across the evolving landscape of AI at Pitt, visit pasta.pitt.edu.

Upgrades to Faculty Information System (Elements)

Pitt IT, in partnership with various departments and the vendor Symplectic, has upgraded the current Faculty Information System to a more modern, cloud-based version of Elements. These upgrades not only enhance the University’s current system, but also allow for the introduction of new features designed to support your academic and research endeavors. The updated design and cloud-based platform is intuitive and user-friendly, streamlining the experience. Stay tuned for updates and improvements to the system in the coming months.

Update macOS 12 to Access University Network

Effective Saturday, Nov. 30, devices running macOS 12 (Monterey) will no longer be able to connect to the University's network, including access through PittNet VPN (Pulse Secure) or Global Protect VPN.

Apple ended support for macOS 12 on Sept. 16. Devices running unsupported operating systems cannot be patched with proper security updates and run the risk of being compromised, having sensitive data lost, or becoming an entry point to allow hackers to attack other computers and servers on the University’s network. To safeguard your devices and data, Pitt IT encourages all macOS 12 users to upgrade as soon as possible to a supported operating system, such as MacOS 13 (Ventura), 14 (Sonoma), or 15 (Sequoia).

Panther Bytes to Nibble On

Check out these bite-sized blogs about tech topics you should know.

• Lessons to Help You Catch Phish
• Duo Multifactor Authentication: Your Safety Sidekick
• Stay Up-to-Date on Updates
• Unlock the Code to Win the Password Game
• Cybersecurity Matters in Every Field
• Email Etiquette 101: Ensure Your Emails Are Read

LinkedIn Learning: Bite-Sized Courses with a Big Impact

Every Pitt staff and faculty member has access to the full range of LinkedIn Learning courses at no cost. Here are some of the newest and most popular courses on the platform.

• AI in Teams: AI-Powered Collaboration
• Learning Canvas
• Measuring Team Performance
• Power BI Quick Tips
• A No-Excuse Life: How to Own Your Choices and Unlock Your Potential
• Making a Difference: How to Advocate for the Change You Want