The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at City University hosted a distinguished panel of international speakers, including Dr. Tarek Al-Mourad and Dr. Mirna Safi, for a seminar exploring one of the most pressing challenges of the age of artificial intelligence: how this technology can be harnessed to transform education and the workplace in ways that strengthen the human role rather than replace it.

This question is no longer merely a theoretical discussion. It has become a reality shaping classrooms, institutions, and workplaces around the world.

The seminar was attended by City University President Dr. Walid Dagher; Mrs. Jinan Karami, wife of the Chairman of the University Board of Trustees, MP Faisal Karami; and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Dr. Hiba Al-Sheikh. Also in attendance were the university’s deans, Dr. Iman Baba, Dr. Rayan Najjar, Dr. Saadallah Halimi, and Admiral Hosni Daher, along with academics from various universities, a number of school principals, representatives of associations and the municipality, as well as students from the faculty.

The seminar opened with Dr. Tarek Al-Mourad, Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University and a researcher specializing in artificial intelligence in education. He presented a vision centered on the idea that the true potential of AI lies not merely in improving efficiency, but in giving teachers back the time and space they need to build meaningful human connections.

Dr. Mirna Safi, Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the Australian University in Kuwait, raised a question that reflects a concern shared by many: Does technology designed to save us time actually end up raising the expectations placed upon us and increasing the tasks we are expected to accomplish?

Together, the two presentations and the discussion that followed offered a comprehensive perspective on artificial intelligence—highlighting both the opportunities and possibilities it creates and the challenges that accompany them.

As the seminar concluded, one central message stood out: the issue is not technology itself, but the need to remember that no algorithm can replace empathy, curiosity, or genuine human connection.

Building on this vision, City University reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that artificial intelligence serves to strengthen human-centered education rather than replace it. By embracing these emerging tools, the university seeks to create greater opportunities for guidance, meaningful interaction, and the kind of education that only the human experience can provide.