Week 7 - My CSUMB Journey

Part one:

Our team has been working on the Final Research Video Project, and the planning process has been going pretty smoothly so far. We have been using Zoom for our weekly team meetings, which we hold every Wednesday, to go over our progress and share ideas. Between meetings, we communicate regularly through Google Chat, which has been great for quick updates, asking questions, and keeping everyone in the loop throughout the week.

We also created our own shared Google Doc where we post our work, notes, and research so that everyone can access and edit it easily. This makes collaboration much easier, since we can see each other’s progress in real time and add feedback or suggestions right away. The Google Doc has really helped us stay organized and connected as we work on different parts of the project.

The overall process has been smooth, but like most group projects, it takes effort to keep everything coordinated and on schedule. We are still working on the video itself, but having clear communication and a set meeting time has definitely helped us stay on track.

Next time I am part of a large collaborative project, I would like to plan out small milestones earlier like setting deadlines for research, script drafts, and editing. That would help us spread the workload more evenly and avoid any last-minute rush. I have also learned how important it is to keep communication consistent. Using tools like Google Chat and shared documents really keeps the team connected and makes collaboration feel natural.

Overall, this project has been a good reminder that teamwork works best when everyone communicates openly, stays organized, and supports each other’s progress.

Part Two:

This week’s activities helped me look at artificial intelligence from several different angles; from its global governance and societal effects, to its surprising creative potential and even its connection to human emotion. Listening, reading, and reflecting made me think about what it means to work responsibly with technology as a future software engineer.

Ted talks: 

In “The UN Is Speaking Up About AI — Here’s What They’re Saying”, Ian Bremmer and Bilawal Sidhu explained the United Nations’ new framework for global AI governance. I learned how complex it is to regulate something that evolves faster than policy. They described a “technopolar world,” where tech companies hold more power than many governments, and the UN’s goal is to create shared definitions and guardrails before rushing into enforcement.

In Bob Mankoff’s talk “Can AI Master the Art of Humor?”, I loved how he looked at AI not through fear but through playfulness. He showed that AI can generate thousands of ideas and even come close to being funny, but true humor still depends on human vulnerability and emotion. His quote about humor being “the blessing we get for the curse of mortality” really stuck with me.

What stood out to me most was the emphasis on equity and inclusion; ensuring that developing countries have access to the compute, data, and training needed to participate in AI innovation. It reminded me that building fair systems isn’t only about coding ethics into models, but also about who gets to use and shape those models.

As an engineer, I want to remember that every design choice, from dataset to deployment, can either reinforce or reduce inequality. I will aim to think like a “global citizen” when designing or testing software. For me, it illustrated how creativity is where humans still have a unique edge. AI can assist, it can be a brainstorming partner, offering volume and variety, but we bring the meaning. I think as I continue to learn software engineering, I will keep that mindset: use AI for support, not substitution. Let it stretch my imagination, but never replace genuine human perspective.

Harvard's podcast on AI's Perils and Promises 

As a future software engineer, I found the Harvard “Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence” podcast especially meaningful because it connected technical innovation with social responsibility. I liked their comparison of developing artificial intelligence to driving a car, not just needing the accelerator and the brakes but also a dashboard to actually see where we are going. That metaphor really captures what ethical artificial intelligence should be: fast enough to encourage innovation but careful enough to watch its impact. It reminded me that building technology is not only about making it function but also about ensuring that it serves people safely and fairly. I also learned that regulation is not simply bureaucracy; it is a way for society to express shared values and protect against inequality. The discussion made me realize that responsible design does not end when a product is released. It continues through feedback, observation, and improvement, which are habits I want to carry into my own future work.

Presentation skills reading/video

The presentation videos and readings also left a strong impression on me, especially “Life After Death by PowerPoint”. It was hilarious but painfully true. I have seen (and made) those exact mistakes: too much text, tiny fonts, and way too many bullet points. I learned how simplicity, clarity, and humor can make a presentation more engaging. The Toastmasters article on using visual aids and props emphasized how visuals should enhance a message, not distract from it. Moving forward, I will make sure my slides are clean, readable, and purposeful, with one main idea per slide and visuals that genuinely help my audience understand what I’m saying. I will also avoid overusing acronyms or flashy effects and instead focus on connecting with the audience through storytelling and tone.

Conclusion:

Altogether, this week taught me that the same principles apply to both technology and communication: clarity, responsibility, and empathy. Whether I am writing code or giving a presentation, I want to keep things transparent and human-centered. The UN talk reminded me to think globally, the humor talk reminded me to stay creative, and the Harvard podcast reinforced the need for ethics and observation. Even the presentation videos tied it all together showing that ideas, like technology, only make an impact when they are shared clearly and thoughtfully. As I move forward in this field, I want to design, speak, and build in ways that make technology more understandable, equitable, and human.