Hartwick College Hosts Talk on AI and Human Decision-Making
ONEONTA, NY – AI visionary Phil Wennker will present “The End of Understanding: When Machines Work But We Don’t Know Why” on Wednesday, April 1, from 5 to 6 p.m. in Slade Theatre at Hartwick College.
Phil Wennker
Wennker is co-founder and principal research scientist at Austin-based Mnemonic AI and MNAI Labs, where he studies how artificial intelligence can be used to better understand human decision-making. His work focuses on exploring how and why people make choices and how machine learning systems can model those processes.
Prior to his current role, Wennker co-founded Deep Data Analytics and led award-winning research initiatives in natural language processing for the European Union. While attending medical school in Germany at Ruhr University Bochum with plans to become a neurosurgeon, he shifted his focus to statistical modeling and machine learning. Wennker has since spent several years developing specialized machine learning models to help organizations better understand and apply data insights.
A frequent speaker at international conferences on data science and artificial intelligence, Wennker has also lectured at universities in the United States and Germany.
The event is sponsored by the Department of Computer and Information Sciences and the Computer Science Club. It is free and open to the campus community and the public, and will also be livestreamed.
ABOUT HARTWICK COLLEGE
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success-both professionally and personally.
Published March 31, 2026.
