Secure AI Governance with the Applied Intelligence Systems Club
Originally published on the SJSU College of IDS Community Profiles · November 2, 2025 · by Ava Wallace
"Your work and everyday life are already shaped by AI systems – Will you be passive users or active architects of how they serve society?" — Basanth Periyapatna Roopa Kumar
Five MSDI students from San Jose State University were recently invited to participate in the AI & Cybersecurity Leadership Forum, hosted by HC Consulting. For these students — all pursuing careers at the intersection of data, intelligence, and governance — the event provided intellectual stimulus, industry connections, and practical advice to inform their next professional and academic endeavors.
The featured students: Nandana Chigaterappa HemanthKumar, Shagun Roperia, Ranga Reddy Nukala, Basanth Periyapatna Roopa Kumar, and Jay Narendrabhai Joshi.
Bridging Academia and Industry
The Forum brought together sector leaders, industry experts, and students from several universities — creating an opportunity for intergenerational dialogue and collaborative exchange between private industry and academia. For Jay Joshi, the day was a chance to "stay ahead of the curve" and both learn from and contribute to major dialogues shaping the AI landscape.
The event focused sharply on ethical AI oversight and responsible adoption. As Shagun later reflected on LinkedIn: "How do we engineer governance and security at the speed of innovation?"
This emphasis matters in an industry where, as Nandana often observes, "everyone is just so focused on innovation" that security and risk management are treated as secondary. But as this event made clear: security needs to be baked into the architecture of systems today. It's not an add-on.
For me, the experience provided a "valuable reframing" — innovation and governance are not at odds. Strong governance creates the conditions for long-term success: it mitigates risk, develops public trust, and demonstrates operational integrity. This was echoed by all participants, who stressed that transparency, human oversight, and iterative security audits should be cornerstones of responsible AI policy.
Building the Future of Responsible AI
The event also asked attendees to grapple with philosophical questions — the existential dimensions of AI's increasing entanglement with human life. Nandana was left considering: "How do we, as individuals, continue to create meaningful value in a world increasingly shaped by AI?"
The College of Information, Data and Society prepares students to tackle these questions by combining applied technical training with grounded learning in the humanities and ethics. The Forum proved a valuable opportunity to bridge those two worlds.
Recognizing the importance of community spaces to connect, share, and collaborate — Nandana and Shagun recently founded the Applied Intelligence Systems (AIS) Club at SJSU. Open to all students across all departments, the club is designed as a community learning space to discuss and navigate growing technology, AI, and cybersecurity. Future AIS events will be offered both virtually and in-person.
Students throughout SJSU carry vital experience, insight, and questions through which to engage with AI — both in their daily lives, and as participants in shaping the AI-integrated future. The question I left the Forum with, and one I carry into every project:
Will you be a passive user, or an active architect of how AI serves society?
Tags: AIS Club · Applied Data Intelligence · Artificial Intelligence · Student Clubs · SJSU