Great to open the new centre with the assistance of Spot the Boston Dynamics dog!
Here is what I said
I am thrilled to assist with the opening of this trailblazing Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Centre. It’s fantastic to see this collaboration between the Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership through its Growth Fund and the University which will result in pioneering AI, cyber and robotics, help to produce the next generation of leaders in computing and the development of ground-breaking technology in Buckinghamshire, working especially with the Silverstone Park and Wescott Enterprise Zone.
Many of us -including Silicon Valley Billionaires it seems-read science fiction for pleasure, inspiration, and as a way of coming to terms with potential future technology . But little did I think when young and I read Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy or watched RUR the 1920 science-fiction play by Karel Capek, that invented the word “robot”, that I would many years later be helping open an AI and Innovation Centre at a major university!
It is significant that the Centre is not just located within the School of Computing (home to Spot the Boston Dynamics Dog and Birdly, the VR bird experience) but it is part of the University’s Faculty of Computing, Law and Psychology and I was particularly delighted to hear of the existing cross disciplinary faculty work on Games and VR, Fintech law, and human robotics interaction, cyber bullying and cyber psychology.
As a lawyer, my own involvement I think demonstrates the cross disciplinary nature nowadays of so much to do with AI and machine learning. The Lords Select Committee on AI which I chaired a few years ago emphasized this in calling for an ethical framework for the development and application of AI. Working that through to regulation, nationally and internationally will involve cross disciplinary skills and knowledge. AI developers need to have a broad understanding of the societal and ethical context in which they operate as well as technical skills.
Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics were a deliberate response to the kind of situation depicted in R.U.R, so the need for ethics and regulation was conceived from the dawn of AI and robotics. You may also remember of course that the centrepiece of the Foundation Books, Hari Seldon (no relation) creates the Foundations—two groups of sociologists, scientists and engineers at opposite ends of the galaxy—to preserve the spirit of science and civilization, and thus become the cornerstones of the new galactic empire. Early cross disciplinarity!
On an international if not galactic stage however, the University can take great pride in hosting the Institute for Ethical AI in Education which I had the privilege of chairing and which developed a highly influential Ethical Framework for AI in Education which will I hope stand the test of time.
This brings me on to another aspect of cross disciplinarity- creativity. Creative skills in how to use AI and other new technology will be vital. Take for example the play “AI” recently featured in Rory Cellan-Jones’ BBC Technology blog. This is a new a play developed alongside AI using the deep-learning system GPT-3 to generate human-like dialogue and script, and as they describe it “As artists and intelligent systems collide, AI asks us to consider the algorithms at work in the world around us, and what technology can teach us about ourselves”. Reassuringly the director and Rory both concluded that human input for a fully satisfying dramatic product was still essential!
Another aspect which cross disciplinary work brings is to ensure wider perspectives to the development of AI and other new technology. Diversity in those who oversee the development and application of AI is crucial, as we highlighted in our original AI Select Committee Report. Failing this as we said we will fail to spot bias in the data sets and repeat the prejudices of the past.
Finally, I wanted to highlight the leadership that the University and Buckinghamshire LEP are showing in this fied. Our AI Select Committee were confident that the UK could and would punch well above its weight in the development of AI and play an important international leadership role in both technological and ethical aspects. I congratulate you both for your vision in setting up the Centre which looks set fair to make a huge contribution to the UK’s leadership role.
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