Understanding the AI revolution

New Scientist present …

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the most important issues of our time. Whilst we are growing used to the idea of AI impacting our daily lives, key questions remain; is AI a threat or an opportunity? What are the applications that will change our way of life? How impressive is AI, how good will it get, and how soon?

Join leading Artifical Intelligence experts Dr Beth Singler, University of Cambridge and Dr Shakir Mohamed, Deepmind for an evening exploring both technical and sociocultural themes in AI. You will be guided through the evening by a New Scientist host.

Talks

When we don’t understand AI it can become something much greater in our minds than it actually is. In this talk, Dr Beth Singler will explore our hopes and fears for AI and how they can distract from what is really happening, and who is making the decisions behind the decision machines. She will explore the stories we tell ourselves about AI, from the utopian to the dystopian, and think about what it means to believe in AI.

Dr Beth Singler, Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence, University of Cambridge

Dr Beth Singler is the Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at Homerton College, University of Cambridge. Her anthropological research considers the social, ethical, and religious implications of AI and robotics. She has spoken about her research at the Hay Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, the London Science Museum, the Edinburgh Science Festival, and has appeared in international press and media including the BBC, the New York Times, and Forbes.

AI is helping us expand the types of scientific questions we can ask, while also creating opportunities for new technologies in sectors that affect our lives each day. Join Shakir Mohamed from DeepMind who will help us understand these advances by showing how the tools of AI – data-driven analysis, prediction, control, and generation – are being used to combat crucial challenges in weather, engineering, and energy. These are not only technical problems, but also social ones, and understanding AI as a sociotechnical field is another important advance. Shakir will argue that greater understanding of AI is needed in order to align AI to the task of serving our shared prosperity.

Dr Shakir Mohamed, Research Scientist, DeepMind

Dr Shakir Mohamed works on technical and sociotechnical questions in machine learning research, aspiring to make contributions to machine learning principles, applied problems in health and environment, and ethics and diversity. Shakir is a research scientist and lead at DeepMind in London, an Associate Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, and a Honorary Professor of University College London. Shakir is also a founder and trustee of the Deep Learning Indaba, a grassroots organisation aiming to build pan-African capacity and leadership in AI. Shakir was the General Chair for the 2021 International conference on Learning Representations, and a member of the Royal Society’s Diversity Committee.

Event Timings:

Doors: 6.30pm

Talks start: 7.00pm

Close: 9.00pm

Booking information:

The event will be held at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL.

Doors will open at 6.30pm with talks commencing at 7.00 pm. The event will finish at 9.00pm.

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COVID-19 measures

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Anyone accessing the event site is required to have proof of either:

• A full course of vaccinations – the second being at least 2 weeks previously
• A negative lateral flow test, taken within the 48 prior to attending the show – you can order these free from: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
• Natural immunity, which is defined as a positive PCR test within the last 180 days but access will only be allowed after a minimum 10-day isolation period since the positive test.

Face coverings

In England, face coverings are now required by law and you must wear a face covering whilst in the venue.

Event Venue

London