Salem, Oregon – Artificial intelligence is advancing fast, but Oregon Tech Professor KC Santosh, Ph.D., used an international stage in Hong Kong to focus on a different question: how can that progress happen without losing sight of people, or the environmental cost of the technology itself?
Santosh opened the five-day Workshop Series on Reliable and Interpretable Deep Learning: Challenges, Theories and Applications in Biomedical Informatics, or WS-RIDL 2026, with a keynote centered on sustainable, human-focused AI. The event was held Aug. 17-21 and hosted by Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Saint Francis University.
Read also: Oregon targets phone companies that allegedly let scam traffic flow through their networks
His presentation examined the growing energy demands and carbon footprint associated with large-scale AI systems while stressing the need to build technologies that support social well-being in a responsible and sustainable way.
The international workshop brought together graduate students, researchers, faculty members, scientists and industry professionals working on trustworthy AI and biomedical informatics. Participants represented institutions and organizations from Australia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“The event enabled me to share my experience in foundational AI and practical applications, including precision medicine, with an international audience,” Santosh said. “It also offered a platform to promote Oregon Tech’s accomplishments, including its national recognition in engineering education, and to build relationships that can support future research, student engagement, and global collaboration.”
Read also: Oregon pauses state property approvals for data centers ahead of possible 2027 legislation
Santosh is a professor in Oregon Tech’s newly launched Bachelor of Science in AI program. He also chairs the Computer Systems Engineering Technology and Applied Computing departments and directs the university’s Center of Excellence in Applied Computing.
Beyond the keynote, Santosh met with conference chairs, deans and other academic leaders to discuss possible research and educational partnerships. Those conversations included potential 3+2 and 4+1 academic pathways involving Oregon Tech’s College of Engineering, Technology, and Management, along with future research projects and opportunities for student engagement.
“Hong Kong was exceptionally welcoming, and the conference provided a valuable setting for meaningful conversations with international colleagues,” Santosh said. “The visit established a strong foundation for potential future collaboration and institutional partnerships.”
Santosh’s international work extends beyond the Hong Kong conference. He serves as an associate editor for several journals, chairs major AI conferences and participates on National Science Foundation and Mitacs review panels. He also contributes to NIST’s AI Standard and Innovation efforts and the U.S. Speaker Program on AI education.
Read also: Oregon pushes to protect vote-by-mail after 7,314 primary ballots rejected over late postmarks
His academic record includes approximately $10 million in research funding, 13 books, more than 280 peer-reviewed research articles and over 100 international keynote addresses, including a TEDx Talk.
