Gaines Center to launch ‘Year of the Human Algorithm’ with ‘Her’ screening, faculty panel
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 27, 2026) — What does it mean to be human in the age of artificial intelligence?
The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities invites the campus and Lexington communities to explore that question throughout the 2026-27 academic year with its “Year of the Human Algorithm,” an examination of what it means to be human in the 21st century as artificial intelligence continues to develop and influence everyday life.
The Gaines Center will kick off the initiative Sept. 1 with a free screening of Spike Jonze’s 2013 science-fiction romance, “Her,” followed by a faculty panel discussion.
The event, co-sponsored by UK Student Organizations and Activities, is 6 p.m. in the Gatton Student Center’s Worsham Cinema. It is free and open to the public. Iced coffee, boba tea, donuts and popcorn will be available, along with door prizes for attendees.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, “Her” follows a man who develops a relationship with an artificially intelligent virtual assistant. The film will serve as a starting point for the faculty discussion following the screening.
Panelists include:
- Molly Blasing, Ph.D., associate professor in the UK Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures
- Jordan Brower, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of English
- Sophia Farmer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UK School of Art History and Visual Studies
- Aria Halliday, Ph.D., associate professor in UK Department of Gender and Women’s Studies
- Meg Wallace, Ph.D., professor and chair in the UK Department of Philosophy
Technological revolutions have long prompted a rethinking of human qualities and capabilities. With the rise of AI expected to transform how people live, think, feel, work, learn, create and connect, the initiative will encourage participants to examine the traits that make us human with the same attention given to the growing powers and possibilities of artificial intelligence.
Through the “Year of the Human Algorithm,” the Gaines Center will consider both the positive and negative effects of humans’ adaptation to a digital future while encouraging a renewed examination of human value.
“Spike Jonze was prescient about our current questions surrounding human-AI intimacy,” said Michelle Sizemore, Ph.D., director of the Gaines Center. “Gaines’ year-long programming will navigate emerging debates around shifting definitions of ‘the human’ as machines develop capacities for intelligence, communication and connection that rival or exceed our own.”
There will be additional “Year of the Human Algorithm” programming during the 2026-27 academic year. Upcoming events include a screening and panel discussion of the 2016 film “Arrival” Oct. 5, and the 2026 Bale Boone Symposium featuring author Ted Chiang Oct. 6.
For more information about the Gaines Center for the Humanities and upcoming events, visit gaines.uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.