The University of Colorado Law School is pleased to announce the appointment of聽 as interim executive director of the . Surden, a beloved professor of law at Colorado Law, brings extensive experience in the tech industry and legal academy to this role.
Silicon Flatirons is a leading research center at the University of Colorado Law School that focuses on the intersection of technology and policy. As interim executive director, Professor Surden will oversee the center's operations, including events and research initiatives.
"I'm thrilled to serve Silicon Flatirons as interim executive director," said Professor Surden. "The center has a well-earned national reputation for fostering innovation and exploring the impact of technology on society, and I'm excited to play a new part in building on that legacy."
Professor Surden has been a faculty member at the University of Colorado Law School since 2008, where he teaches courses on intellectual property, patent law, torts, and artificial intelligence. He is also affiliated faculty at the . Prior to law school, Professor Surden worked as a software engineer for Cisco Systems and Bloomberg Finance L.P.
"We are thrilled Harry has agreed to serve as interim executive director of Silicon Flatirons," said , dean of the University of Colorado Law School. "His cutting-edge scholarship, passion for teaching, and commitment to the center make him the ideal person to lead Silicon Flatirons during this transitional period."
Silicon Flatirons will continue in its mission of fostering innovation and exploring the impact of technology on society under Surden's leadership. The center's upcoming event, "," will take place on April 21, 2023 and will explore the role of Generative AI in several legal contexts.
The first is the ability of Large Language Model AI Systems (LLMs) like ChatGPT to produce legal documents, such as contracts, legal pleadings, patents and other written legal instruments. Another is the impact of AI-generated art and music in the context of Copyright law and Fair Use. Finally, they will examine the societal implications of AI systems that can produce high quality outputs 鈥� such as legal documents or art 鈥� that previously only people could create. The conference will bring together leading experts in the fields of law and AI to discuss the legal and policy implications of generative AI.
For more information about Silicon Flatirons and the upcoming "Exploring Generative AI and Law" conference, please visit .
In the summer of 2023, Professor will assume the role of executive director of the center. We are excited to share more about his appointment in the coming weeks!