Few topics in tech have garnered as much buzz and excitement as “AI,” or generative artificial intelligence. The global release of ChatGPT in 2022 marked a significant breakthrough, but progress has slowed significantly since then. Early promises of “exponential” progress have given way to more incremental improvements.

Computer scientist and AI researcher Jennifer Golbeck explains why this plateau has occurred, offers explanations for current issues like “hallucinations,” and offers some fresh ideas about what it may take to get past this technological inflection point. Dr. Jennifer Golbeck is a professor at the University of Maryland in College Park. She is an expert in social networks, social media, privacy and is a sought after speaker, expert, and science communicator.

Dr. Golbeck began studying social media from the moment it emerged on the web a decade ago and is one of the world’s foremost experts in the field. Her research has influenced industry, government, and the military. She is a pioneer in the field of social data analytics, discovering people’s hidden attributes from their online behavior, and a leader in creating human-friendly security and privacy systems. In addition to her work as a professor at the University of Maryland, she writes for top online news organizations, including Slate and The Atlantic, and appears frequently on NPR and commercial talk radio.

Dr. Golbeck also rescues special needs golden retrievers and shares their lives on social media as The Golden Ratio.