Please join the Political Science Department to celebrate the launch of Professor Onur Bakiner’s new book Governing AI: A Primer (2026 Cambridge University Press) on Thursday May 7, 2026, 5:00-7:00 p.m., in the John Popko Faculty Lounge (LEML 672, Lemieux Library, 901 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122).

Governing AI is about getting AI right. Building upon AI scholarship in science and technology studies, technology law, business ethics, and computer science, it documents potential risks and actual harms associated with AI, lists proposed solutions to AI-related problems around the world, and assesses their impact. Professor Bakiner’s book presents a vast range of theoretical debates and empirical evidence to document how and how well technical solutions, business self-regulation, and legal regulation work. It is a call to think inside and outside the box. Technical solutions, business self-regulation, and especially legal regulation can mitigate and even eliminate some of the potential risks and actual harms arising from the development and use of AI. However, the long-term health of the relationship between technology and society depends on whether ordinary people are empowered to participate in making informed decisions to govern the future of technology – AI included.

This event features brief remarks by Provost Shane Martin at around 5:30pm, Professor Bakiner’s book talk starting around 5:45pm, networking opportunities, and refreshments.