Ian Bogost to Keynote 2026 Fall Academy The Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor and assistant vice provost at Washington University in St. Louis will deliver a lecture on the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education Wednesday, Aug. 19, in University Chapel.

By Brian Laubscher
August 12, 2026

Ian Bogost, Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor and assistant vice provost at Washington University in St. Louis, will deliver the keynote address at Washington and Lee University’s Fall Academy with a lecture at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, in University Chapel.

Bogost’s lecture, titled “What College Told Me While Drunk on AI,” will explore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on higher education.

“I’ve been writing about AI and higher education for five years now, and during that time some other difficult things have happened to this sector, which I’ve also written about,” Bogost said. “But along the way, talking to students, faculty, administrators and ordinary people about colleges and universities in the age of AI, I’ve felt as if aspects of the true nature of campus have revealed themselves to me. That true nature is tough to look at, but all earnest truths are difficult. I’ll share what I saw through this lens, and what it might mean for the future of college.”

A complimentary lunch will be provided on Cannan Green at approximately 12:30 p.m., following Bogost’s keynote address. Lucas Morel, John K. Boardman Jr. Professor of Politics, will then lead a discussion focused on Bogost’s lecture in Leyburn Library, Room 119, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Campus community members interested in attending should register in advance.

“As the kickoff event for W&L’s Liberating Ideas initiative, professor Bogost’s lecture and conversation with our campus community are sure to generate debates over how a liberal arts education adapts to the Information Age,” Morel said. “I can think of no better forum to discuss the possibilities and pitfalls of artificial intelligence than our university as we foster meaningful conversations about the future of AI in student learning and faculty research and pedagogy.”

In addition to holding faculty positions in the School of Arts & Sciences (film and media studies), the McKelvey School of Engineering (computer science and engineering) and the Sam Fox School of Art & Design (art, design and architecture) at WashU, Bogost is a writer, an award-winning game designer and an artist whose work has been exhibited and collected internationally. He has been a contributing editor and writer at The Atlantic since 2013, writing and editing articles on science, technology, health, design, education, culture, politics and business. He has authored 11 books, including “The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life,” which was published in July.

Bogost is a founding partner at Persuasive Games LLC, an independent game studio and design consultancy. His games and artworks, which include Cow Clicker and A Slow Year, have been played by millions of people and held in permanent collections around the world, including at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Before joining WashU, Bogost spent nearly 20 years as a faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and comparative literature from the University of Southern California as well as a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of California, Los Angeles.

W&L holds the Fall Academy and Winter Academy each year to prepare and inform faculty and staff about relevant topics and the resources available throughout the academic year. Fall Academy programming includes workshops, discussion panels and information sessions over two weeks, from Aug. 17 through Aug. 28.

“Fall Academy is one of my favorite events at W&L,” said Lena Hill, provost and professor of English. “During the two weeks of sessions, we welcome new faculty and staff members to campus as we also reconnect with colleagues after the summer. This distinctive program allows us to learn together, get energized and set the tone for the year ahead.”

Registration for Fall Academy is open, and a complete schedule of events is available online.