Adobe executive talks AI policy
Jennifer Mulveny ’96 discussed concerns about deepfakes and misinformation on a recent visit to campus.
As director of government relations and public policy for Adobe Inc.’s Asia-Pacific region, Jennifer Mulveny ’96 is at the forefront of policymaking related to generative artificial intelligence.
In November 2024, Mulveny traveled from Australia to Carolina to share insights about AI policy with Tar Heels in UNC Global Affairs and the UNC School of Data Science and Society. Mulveny is a long-time champion of Carolina’s global mission and contributor to the Chancellor’s Global Education Fund.
During her visit, Mulveny compared differences in AI policymaking among countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and North America and discussed concerns about deepfakes, misinformation and intellectual property rights.
“Our heritage is so strongly embedded in protecting creatives,” Mulveny said, “that when we developed Firefly, we decided to only train on content where we hold a license, that is in the public domain or that has a copyright that has expired.”
This example shows how Adobe’s approach to AI is different, she said. Adobe formed the Content Authenticity Initiative, a coalition currently with more than 3,000 companies, such as Canon, the Associated Press, Nvidia and Getty Images, reflecting the broad and overlapping impact of AI.
“Jennifer did a brilliant job explaining the significance of provenance, which she described as nutrition labels for images,” said Barbara Stephenson, vice provost for global affairs and chief global officer. “She modeled for the rising generation, including those active in the Diplomacy Initiative, how Carolina prepares students to tackle the grand challenges of our time.”
The data science school dean said he was thrilled to hear Mulveny’s perspective on the current landscape of AI for creatives, particularly the efforts around content provenance and authenticity.
“Our students are using these tools already, and they are preparing to enter a workforce quickly being shaped by AI,” Stan Ahalt said. “It’s so important for our students to understand the implications of using these tools and more about the companies who are committed to using this technology responsibly.”
During her visit, Mulveny challenged students to imagine how AI can be used in their future careers and personal lives. (UNC Global Affairs)
A global path to tech
After meeting with faculty and administrators, Mulveny visited assistant professor Neil Gaikwad’s DATA 120 course, Ethics of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. She encouraged students to expand their horizons as they imagine their future careers. That’s how she made a career in the tech industry and a life in Australia.
Growing up in Delaware, Mulveny never considered life beyond the U.S. At Carolina, she studied English, wrote for The Daily Tar Heel, worked in Davis Library and was a student leader in Habitat for Humanity.
She once enrolled in a political science class “out of a natural curiosity” and became a double-major, which led her to an internship in Washington, D.C. She earned her master’s degree in international relations from George Washington University. After several years working in government and the private sector, she accepted a two-year stint in Australia that turned into an unexpected career path and a new home for her family.
Mulveny sees the challenges of AI’s impact on young people every day in her own home. She said her sons are comfortable seeing — and are seemingly unfazed by — AI-generated content.
“We need a lot of education for digital media literacy, not just for students but for the public generally. Me included!” Mulveny said. “People need the right tools to look at a piece of content with a critical eye before they take it as truth and share it. We are not there yet, but Adobe is doing a lot of groundbreaking work in this space.”
