Early in March, the highly regarded Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Conference selected Core4ce Senior Software Engineer Andrew McDonald to present his AI research at the 2nd International Workshop on AI Governance (AIGOV). The workshop aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of AI governance principles, frameworks, and best practices to empower participants in navigating the ethical, legal, and societal dimensions of AI. McDonald’s research comprised findings from two pioneering projects completed during his final semester at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), where he is currently completing a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning which he will achieve in December 2025.
McDonald’s journey with Core4ce began as an intern in 2022. Now a full-time member of Core4ce’s Research & Development team, Andrew’s work as a Senior Software Engineer contributes to the creation of innovative data lifecycle solutions for national security customers.
McDonald presented the following two projects at the 2025 AAAI Conference in Philadelphia:
W.I.R.A (What Is Real Anymore) Dataset
W.I.RA dataset is a novel image collection designed by McDonald to tackle the growing challenge of distinguishing between real and AI-generated images. As generative AI technology advances, so does the need for reliable methods to detect synthetic content. W.I.R.A can help the AI/ML community tackle the challenge of ‘what is real anymore’ by serving as a trusted resource for enhancing AI-generated content detection, safeguarding the integrity of digital imagery, and promoting ethical data curation.
The dataset consists of two subsets, one of over 2,000 real images – sourced from Flickr with proper attribution – and their hyper-realistic AI-generated counterparts, created using the Leonardo.AI commercial API. By offering a benchmark for differentiating between real and synthetic images, W.I.R.A contributes to the responsible use of AI in digital media and helps protect individuals from the unintended consequences of generative AI.
Real-To-AI-Pipeline
Complementing W.I.R.A, the Real-To-AI-Pipeline framework streamlines the process of aggregating real and AI-generated images, significantly improving dataset creation and analysis. This framework fosters discussions around AI-generated media, its ethical implications, and the need for governance frameworks to regulate its societal impact.
Advancing AI Governance at AAAI 2025
The AAAI Conference is one of the most prestigious events in the global AI/ML community, attracting top researchers and industry leaders. McDonald’s participation in the AI Governance Workshop underscores the significance of his research in shaping the future of AI policy, ethics, and technology.
His accomplishments not only mark a major milestone in his academic career but also reinforce Core4ce’s commitment to cutting-edge AI/ML research. Looking ahead, we are excited to have Andrew present his research at Core4ce’s 2025 Innovation Summit in Charleston, South Carolina. He will join an accomplished group of subject matter experts to explore how AI is accelerating scientific breakthroughs, providing mission advantage while complicating the modern battlefield, and driving operational efficiencies for our business.
Check out the video below to learn more about Core4ce’s internship program and hear directly from Andrew about his experience:
