Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association

AI is here and has already changed mankind forever. But how? And is that a good thing?

Join us for a fascinating discussion about the future of AI and how we could handle it responsibly as a community.

Lindsay Jones moderates a discussion of William Meade, chair of AFM Local 82’s AI Advisory Committee, and Noman Bashir, a Computing & Climate Impact Postdoctoral Fellow at the MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium (MCSC) and the Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). We’ll explore the areas of personal responsibility of using AI as an independent artist, as well as the global environmental impact of AI as it becomes more prevalent.

William Meade, a member of Local 802 since 1985, is the chair of the union’s new AI Advisory Committee. William is a seasoned performer and producer with over three decades of experience in television, Broadway, concerts and global events. During the last 12 months, he has spent considerable time and effort to understand the accelerating impact AI is having across all professions, including that of musician’s. His knowledge of AI encompasses practical, academic and regulatory aspects, all of which continue to evolve at a rapid pace.

Noman Bashir is a Computing & Climate Impact Postdoctoral Fellow at the MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium (MCSC) and the Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). His research focuses on rethinking the design and operation of computer systems to address emerging challenges, including rapidly rising computing demand, increasing energy constraints, and unintended socio-environmental implications. Noman’s research on improving resource utilization has been deployed across Google datacenters, serving Google enterprise workloads such as search and Gmail, demonstrating tangible impact. Noman received his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022. At MIT, he continues his efforts to enable resilient, sustainable computing systems that better integrate with critical societal infrastructures.

Lindsay Jones is an award-winning composer and sound designer. Broadway: Slave Play (Tony nominations for Best Original Score, Best Sound Design of a Play), The Nap,Bronx Bombers, A Time to Kill. Off Broadway: Privacy (Public Theater), Bootycandy (Playwrights Horizons), Feeding the Dragon (Primary Stages), many others. Regional: Guthrie, Center Stage, ACT, Hartford Stage, Alliance, Goodman, Arena Stage, Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, many others. International: Stratford Festival (Canada), Royal Shakespeare Company (England), many others. Audio dramas: Disney, Marvel, DC, Penguin/Random House, Audible, Next Chapter Podcasts. Film/television scoring: HBO Films’s A Note of Triumph (2006 Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subject). Other: Co-Chair of Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association (TSDCA).

Sessions are available via video for members a few days after the session is completed.