The March installment of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club explores the trend of large language models giving precedence to user approval over truth.
Sycophancy is a growing research topic when it comes to ethical AI, and special guest and past University of Toronto Chief Information Officer Bo Wandschneider joins AI and Machine Learning Program Manager Catherine Steeves for two engaging discussions to consider how critical thinking is preserved in a world where sources are synthetic, confident, and sycophantic. The curated article for the month’s reading club is the recently published “Programmed to please: The moral and epistemic harms of AI sycophancy” by Cody Turner and Nir Eisikovits.
Register for one of the discussions and share your reflections on AI sycophancy with library colleagues:
- Monday, March 30, 2026, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Eastern Time (Zoom)
- Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 2-3 p.m. Eastern Time (Zoom)
Beyond the Algorithm is open to all academic library workers – being from an OCUL member library is not required for participation.
Visit the event page for links to the selected article, a recorded interview between Wandschneider and Steeves, and additional recommended resources on ethics and technologies.
For More Information
Beyond the Algorithm is part of the OCUL AI and Machine Learning Initiative.
For questions about the reading club or AI and Machine Learning Initiative, please email Program Manager Kari D. Weaver: kari.weaver@ocul.on.ca.