‘AI is the technology of the century’: AIML director and other experts extol AI’s virtues and discuss risks at Gillard Public Lecture
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and AIML Director Professor Simon Lucey during the 2024 Julia Gillard Public Lecture at the ˴Ƭ, 29 October 2024
This week, a packed Bonython Hall at the ˴Ƭ was host to the latest Julia Gillard annual public lecture. The lecture series, named after The Hon. Julia Gillard, a ˴Ƭ Visiting Honorary Professor as well as Australia’s 27th and only woman prime minister, has become an opportunity to discuss many of Australia's most pressing concerns.
This year’s lecture focused on the current and future impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on Australia and the world. The lecture featured three AI experts who were interviewed by Ms. Gillard in front of the at capacity crowd; , leader of the Applied Cognition and Experimental Psychology research group at The ˴Ƭ; , a Senior Lecturer in the Adelaide Law School and a Cybersecurity Postdoctoral Research Fellow; and AIML Director Professor Simon Lucey.
After observing how far technology has come since her days at a law office where she was ‘one of the first to work on a computer,’ Ms. Gillard grouped the global conversations around AI into four risk categories: safety and automation; AI’s impact on jobs; how AI will affect the distribution of power; and ensuring that AI works to the benefit and prosperity of all of humanity, not just a small number of individuals.
After noting that “work has been going on at AIML long before AI was on most people’s radar,” she kicked off the panel discussion by asking members to share what they were most excited and frightened by regarding artificial intelligence.
Dr White extolled AI’s ability to increase efficiency but also noted that he was concerned about how to keep AI accountable. Professor Semmler shared her excitement that AI can ‘help us learn more about ourselves’ while also expressing her concern that AI could make existing inequalities and inequities even greater.
For Professor Lucey, his excitement around AI stems from the belief that we’re at an AI ‘inflection point’ and that AI is poised for even greater things as it ‘permeates every aspect of our lives.’ But he’s concerned about what he sees are attempts to ‘humanise’ AI that may not be particularly helpful.
From left to right, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard; AIML Director Professor Simon Lucey; Professor Carolyn Semmler of the Applied Cognition and Experimental Psychology research group; and Dr Samuel White, Senior Lecturer at the ˴Ƭ Law School
“I’m concerned about the anthropomorphising of AI,” said Professor Lucey. “We are very human-centric when it comes to intelligence and are trying to project human intelligence onto machines. It’s a very different type of intelligence.”
When asked by Ms Gillard if it was possible for Australia to be at the forefront of global AI development, Professor Lucey observed that Australia may not be able to compete with other nations in terms of sheer resources, but it can still have significant impact on the sector.
“Australia is focused on areas such as responsible AI and foundational AI,” said Professor Lucey. “We may not be able to spend millions on specific tools, but we can disrupt the AI system by focusing on areas where we can get more bang for our buck.”
“By focusing on fields such as responsible AI, foundational AI – even AI for science, we can be more strategic about our impact,” he said. “[And] having more industry and government investment in these areas would be a huge help.”
When asked what advice the panellists would give on AI’s immense and growing impact, the panellists mentioned the importance of legislation, of investment, and of using AI to improve democracy.
“Technology can enhance democratic institutions,” said Professor Semmler. “Can we use AI and machine learning to enhance reasoning? If we can, we can enhance democracy [as well as] try to make people’s lives better.”
“Companies don’t want to be regulated,” said Dr. White. “But if companies want to work in Australia, they have to comply with Australian laws. Will [Australia’s] response to emerging technology be piecemeal or principles based?”
“I would encourage [the prime minister] to look at AI from an investment angle,” said Professor Lucey. “No previous technology has needed to rely on Australian data, but AI does.”
“This is a sovereign issue, not just an economic one.”
At the lecture’s conclusion, AIML PhD student Sofia McLeod presented the panellists with gifts to thank them for their participation. Ms. McLeod noted that it was a ‘privilege’ to work in the field of AI and that she was honoured to also play a role in future space missions as part of her research focusing on computer vision for space-related applications.
Watch the full lecture below on YouTube.