Isbell will be replacing Lise Getoor as
the AAAI representative on the CRA
Board, and thanked Isbell for his willingness to serve in this position.
Recently, AAAI coordinated and
cosigned a statement with CRA,
expressing concern about the proposed
tax bill and its ramifications for graduate student stipends. Other organizational affiliates of CRA also signed.
Kambhampati thanked Steve Smith
and the Government/Policy Committee for their help with this effort.
Kambhampati also announced that
Shlomo Zilberstein will be stepping
down as AAAI Conference Chair after
AAAI- 18, and reported that Peter Stone
will take over for Zilberstein going forward.
David Smith will be assuming his
duties as the new Secretary-Treasurer
after Ted Senator retires in early 2018,
following AAAI- 18.
Finally, AAAI recently signed an
agreement with Iridescent to help promote their work on “The Curiosity
Machine AI Family Challenge,” aimed
at empowering young people and their
families to learn together about artificial intelligence technology in a proj-ect-driven, hands-on way. Iridescent, a
global STEM education nonprofit, the
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), AAAI, and NVIDIA have
partnered on this learning initiative
aimed at exposing underrepresented
youth and their families to cutting-edge technologies and encouraging
them to explore careers in science,
technology, engineering and math
together. The first session will take
place at AAAI- 18. Yolanda Gil has been
instrumental in making this collaboration happen.
Approval of Minutes
The Council approved the minutes,
pending the correction of one typo, of
the September 8 meeting, which had
been circulated prior to the meeting.
Future minutes will be circulated within two weeks after a meeting, barring
any extenuating circumstances.
2018 Budget Review
Ted Senator reviewed the proposed
2018 budget with the Executive Coun-
cil, especially the process that is used
to develop the budget each year. The
AAAI fiscal year matches the calendar
year. The overview of the budget fig-
ures and process were circulated to the
Council prior to the meeting. In addi-
tion, cost center budgets were circulat-
ed to appropriate committee chairs as
well as overviews of their cost centers
and significant changes between 2017
and 2018. The annual budget is based
on historical programs and trends,
with forecasts for known expenses in
the coming year. Senator noted that we
don’t have the final figures for 2017
yet, but that the actuals through Sep-
tember 2017 project a healthy out-
come for the year. In addition, our
investments are currently worth
approximately $11.2 million. With our
guideline of 3-5 percent for drawing
down the operating reserve each year,
we could withdraw over $500,000, if
needed. Overall, the financial state of
the organization is very good. Carol
Hamilton and Ted Senator clarified
some questions about the final num-
bers for AAAI- 17, which had a large
unexpected surplus. In response to a
question from David Smith, Hamilton
AAAI News
Join Us in Hawaii for AAAI- 19!
The Thirty-Third AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI- 19)
and the Thirty-First Conference on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence (IAAI- 19), will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, January 27 – February 1, 2019. The technical conference will continue its
3.5-day schedule, preceded by the workshop and tutorial programs.
AAAI- 19 will be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village situated right on
Waikiki. The island of Oahu offers a wealth of things to see and do. Be
sure to explore the rich history of the Islands at one of the many
museums or historical sites, take a hike in a lush tropical forest, or
admire the unparalleled views from the conference site. Hilton Hawaiian Village offers a host of conveniences right on property, but is also
close to a full range of shops and restaurants, stretching to Diamond
Head at the other end of Waikiki. The 2019 Call for Papers will be
available soon at www.aaai.org/aaai19. Please join us in 2019 in
Hawaii for a memorable AAAI!
Mark Your Calendars!
2018 Fall Symposium Series
The 2018 AAAI Fall Symposium Series will be held Thursday through
Saturday, October 17-19, at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arling-
ton, Virginia, adjacent to Washington, DC. Proposals are due April 20,
and accepted symposia will be announced in late May. Submissions
will be due July 20, 2018. For more information, please see the 2018
Fall Symposium Series website ( www.aaai.org/Symposia/Fall
/ fss18.php).
