Scottish university to host AI ethics conference
The University of Glasgow will bring together leading figures from the artificial intelligence (AI) community this week for a three-day conference aimed at tackling the ethical challenges posed by the technology.
Starting tomorrow, the Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium will see academics, researchers and policymakers discuss how to make AI a tool for “positive change” in higher education.
The event will inform the development of a new online course on AI Ethicswhich will strengthen ethical literacy “in higher education and beyond,” the university said.
Scheduled to launch next year, the course, which aims to equip students with the skills to think critically about how AI is developed, consumed and communicated, will be co-created by students and led by Dr Ciorsdaidh Watts and Dr Lydia from the university. Bach.
Dr Watts is a senior lecturer at the university’s School of Chemistry, while Dr Bach is head of equality at the Glasgow-based institution.
Dr Watts said: “AI is already changing the face of education, affecting the way we teach, learn and conduct research. Involving students as key contributors to the symposium will help us understand their current relationship with AI. Their contributions will inform the development of the online course, which will help students use AI responsibly, critiquing the use of AI from multiple perspectives and advocating for inclusive use of AI.
Delegates will hear from representatives from organizations such as the Alan Turing Institutethe Scottish AI Alliance, the Leverhulme Center for the Future of Intelligence and the European Network Against Racism, with SNP MP Clare Adamson expected to deliver the closing speech on Friday.
During the symposium, speakers from the university’s research and student communities will present and workshop alongside representatives to build the new course.
The first day of the event will examine the current state of AI, focusing on higher education and the use of AI in research and teaching.
On Thursday, the conference will discuss how to combat inequality and bias in AI, with discussions on AI and race, gender, the environment, children’s rights and how AI is communicated and consumed.
On the final day, participants will create an ethical framework for inclusive AI, where they will present a series of concrete steps and priorities for academic institutions, which will be used to inform the online course.
Professor Ana Basiri, Director of the University’s Center for Data Science and AI, said: “We are delighted to host the Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium with the support of key players from within and across the world. outside the University of Glasgow. Together, we will examine the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence from a broad range of perspectives, amplifying the voices of individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Basiri continued: “At the heart of all discussions will be considerations of the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, linked to the Scottish Government’s commitment to providing inclusive, trustworthy and fair AI for its citizens. We will explore how the power of AI can best be harnessed in the years to come to serve as a tool for positive change and community building in higher education.
