The series is made possible by the generosity of Bill (LAW’71) and Patty Kleh and the Kleh Family Foundation.

London: The Kleh Family Foundation Distinguished Lecture

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Boston University London Academic Centre hosted The Kleh Family Foundation Distinguished Lecture given by Woodrow Hartzog, the Andrew R. Randall Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law.

The evening featured Hartzog’s lecture “How AI Destroys Institutions.”

About the Lecture: “How AI Destroys Institutions”

Civic institutions like the rule of law, universities, and a free press are the backbone of democratic life. They are the mechanisms through which complex societies encourage cooperation and stability, while also adapting to changing circumstances. The real superpower of social institutions is their ability to adapt to change while maintaining social legitimacy. Purpose-driven institutions built around transparency, cooperation, and accountability empower individuals to take intellectual risks and challenge the status quo. Institutions flourish thanks to interpersonal relationships, which broaden perspectives and strengthen shared commitment to civic goals.

Unfortunately, the affordances of AI systems extinguish these institutional features at every turn. This talk will make one simple point: Curren AI systems are built to function in ways that degrade and, if left unchallenged, are likely to destroy our crucial civic institutions. The current pathologies of AI systems have the effect of eroding expertise, short-circuiting decision-making, and isolating people from each other. These features are anathema to the kind of evolution, transparency, cooperation, and accountability that give vital human institutions their purpose and sustainability. In short, modern AI systems are a death sentence for civic institutions, and we should treat them as such.

About the series

Over the past decade and a half, some of the greatest minds at Boston University have had a rare opportunity: to travel to London and present their best thinking to one of the world’s more discerning audiences.

The event is the William H. and Patricia M. Kleh Lecture, held annually since 2001. As the roster attests, the speakers have been outstanding by any measure. They have addressed an almost astonishing range of topics: from art to politics to journalism to global health—and many, many more. The late Elie Wiesel challenged his audience to embrace peace and fight indifference, and to remain engaged as citizens in times of crisis. Ed Damiano described how his “bionic pancreas”—tantalizingly close to going to clinical trials—might soon revolutionize diabetes care. Even within a single field represented by multiple Kleh Lectures, the diversity of viewpoints has been impressive—music from Bach to Dylan, and empires from the United Kingdom to the United States.

If anything, the Kleh Lecture has exceeded expectations. It has done more for our faculty than anticipated. Far more than we could have hoped, it has reinforced Boston University’s reputation as a global crucible of powerful ideas. And perhaps it’s fair to say that each year, it educates, entertains, and delights its London audiences beyond their already high standards.

Today, on both sides of the Atlantic, people look forward to the Kleh Lecture.