Behind the Scenes of Founding a Center

Every project has an origin story. For CHAIRES — the Center for Human–AI Research, Ethics, and Studies — it began not with a grand plan, but with a small spark.

In the middle of my work on AI ethics and cinematic realism, I kept circling the same questions: Where do people go to think about AI not just as technology, but as part of the human story? I saw conversations happening in silos — in computer science, in policy rooms, in classrooms, in cultural circles. But rarely together.

That absence felt like an invitation.

At first, CHAIRES was just a word on a page — a sketch of an idea. But the more I returned to it, the clearer it became: we need a center that brings research, ethics, and creative practice into dialogue. A place where we can ask bold questions and imagine human–AI futures that strengthen communities rather than divide them.

The name came naturally. A “chair” is where you sit to think, to converse, to reflect. It is also a symbol of leadership and governance. CHAIRES felt like the right vessel — both grounding and aspirational.

So I began building. Piece by piece: securing the domain, shaping the vision, designing the first visuals. And with that, CHAIRES stepped out of my notebook and into the world.

This is only the beginning. The center will grow with contributions from educators, technologists, policymakers, and artists who share the belief that AI is not just about efficiency or disruption, but about humanity.

For me, founding CHAIRES is both personal and collective: it’s a place where my own research journey meets a broader call to action.

I invite you to join in shaping what comes next. Visit chaires.center and follow on LinkedIn. Let’s imagine, together, what responsible human–AI collaboration can look like.