Clemson University will hold its first annual Law and Society Symposium September 22-24, 2026, hosted by the College of Arts and Humanities. The theme of the symposium is “Who owns my creative work in the age of AI?” The talks are set to examine questions including property rights, copyright law, applications of AI technology and its impact on labor and intellectual development. The symposium, sponsored by Loebsack and Brownlee PLLC and the Humanities Hub is free and open to Clemson students, faculty, staff and the public. Registration is encouraged.
“The rapid spread of artificial intelligence has raised legal and ethical questions with titanic implications for our society, making it the ideal topic for our first symposium,” said Ben White, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion, who organized the symposium. “As many of our students prepare for careers in law, we are committed to keeping them on the bleeding edge of trends related to AI.”
Keynote Speakers
The symposium will feature three keynote speakers.
The first is Matthew Sag from the Emory University School of Law — a leading fair-use and copyright scholar in the realm of AI — who will deliver the opening keynote “Being Human in the Loop.”
Jeremy Sheff, director of the Intellectual Property Law Center at St. John’s University School of Law will deliver the second keynote, “What is Intelligence For?”
The symposium will conclude with a virtual keynote and discussion with “Abogamer” Micaela Mantegna, a TED Fellow and AI policy expert. In addition to the keynote addresses, the symposium will feature multiple panel discussions and talks from expert Clemson University faculty representing disciplines including philosophy, computing, communication and English.
See the full symposium schedule for talk event times and locations.
“I’m truly excited for the conversations that we’ll be able to have when these minds gather at Clemson,” White said. “For our students, our faculty, and anyone with a deep interest in the implications of artificial intelligence, this symposium is a can’t-miss opportunity.”
About the College of Arts and Humanities
The College of Arts and Humanities is centered on exploring and understanding the human condition. It encourages students to engage with culture, history, literature, performance, and the intersections of differing fields of study. Students learn durable career skills while confronting the question of how to live a life of fulfillment. Through expert pedagogy in supportive environments, students are trained to think deeply, write effectively, express their thoughts with confidence and interact respectfully with others. The College of Arts and Humanities is where Clemson students prepare to meet the world.
About the Sponsors
Loebsack and Brownlee PLLC is a proud member of the Clemson community and is committed to investing in the next generation of legal professionals it will produce. Through programs and initiatives like our Pre-Law Internship Program, the Kaplan LSAT Scholarship Program, our endowment for the annual Lectures in Law & Humanities Series, and the new Law & Society Symposium, we’re creating opportunities for students interested in law and helping them build connections that extend beyond the classroom.
The Clemson Humanities Hub, an outreach project of the Humanities Advancement Board, intends to advance the outreach, scholarly, and teaching activities of the Humanities. It aims to coordinate and publicize off-campus Humanities events, turning the scholarly inquiry and public presentations of the Humanities fields into an outreach activity. In so doing, it hopes to act as a coordinator of campus presentations, an incubator for scholarship, and a steward of humanities pedagogy. It hopes to offer historical perspective, cultural awareness, and considerations of value in the creation, application, and preservation of knowledge.
Led by the Humanities Advancement Board, the Humanities Hub connects faculty and undergraduate scholars with funding to continue their academic pursuits. Those interested can learn more about the opportunities available to support the work of the humanities at Clemson and the people who make it possible.
