San Francisco, CA—January 28, 2026—California College of the Arts (CCA) announces After Intelligence, a public inquiry into the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on cultural production, civic life, and the human imagination. Taking place on February 4 and March 4, the two-day program launches an ongoing series exploring how emerging technologies are influencing contemporary life.

Through an interdisciplinary lens, After Intelligence offers a thoughtful and ethically grounded discussion about the role of intelligent systems in shaping creativity, culture, and civic life. The series brings together experts from the arts, ethics, technology, and philosophy to question and critique these systems, and collectively imagine a more just and sustainable future. Structured as an open public forum, it emphasizes dialogue and invites public participation in conversations about our role in shaping what comes next.

Day One | Contemplating an Algorithmic Future

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 | 3–7 pm | CCA Campus

Day One approaches artificial intelligence as a force that is reorganizing the conditions of contemporary life. Jennifer Granick, surveillance and cybersecurity counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union; Dr. Vanessa Chang, director of programs at Leonardo; and Nora N. Khan, educator, writer, and critic, each open a different window onto this shifting landscape. They address how these systems shape our civic worlds, our embodied and cultural experiences, and the ways meaning and authority take form.

Together, they ask: if artificial intelligence is rewriting what it means to be human, how might we rethink our roles—as citizens, creators, and thinkers—in an increasingly algorithmic future?

Day Two | Making Now and Next: Creative Practice and Worlds to Come

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 3–7 pm | CCA Campus

Day Two moves from collaborating with intelligent tools to imagining the futures they set in motion. The program examines how AI is reshaping creative labor, authorship, aesthetics, and material intelligence, while questioning how the stories we tell about technology influence the worlds we build. The day concludes with a collective discussion on the futures we might choose to cultivate in an increasingly automated world.

The program is free and open to the public. Learn more and RSVP at after-intelligence.cca.edu.

After Intelligence is a collaborative initiative led by Deans Curtis Hidemasa Arima (Fine Arts), Jacqueline Francis (Humanities & Sciences), Keith Krumweide (Architecture), and Helen Maria Nugent (Design). The series is supported by the President’s Office, CCA Exhibitions, Academic Division, and the Kari Marboe Endowment.

About California College of the Arts

Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts (CCA) educates students to shape culture and society through art, architecture, design, and writing. The college offers free public events and exhibitions that engage artists, designers, and the broader public in conversations around contemporary questions. Its interdisciplinary programming provides a space for creative exploration and collaboration across artistic practices. CCA faculty and alumni continue to transform art and design in the Bay Area and beyond.

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