Keeping the Human in Artificial Intelligence - expert panel in Cambridge

The Idea Exchange and UWaterloo present three Arts professors with expertise in economics, philosophy, and human-computer interaction discuss what we need to know and do to ensure artificial intelligence serves humanity for the good of everyone.

Held in Cambridge at Waterloo's School of Architecture, and hosted by Dean of Arts, Doug Peers, this event is a remount of our popular panel held last November at Kitchener Public Library.

Sophia the robot (Hanson Robotics Ltd.) speaking at the AI for GOOD Global Summit, ITU, Geneva, Switzerland, June 2017. Photo credit ITU Pictures/Wikimedia Commons.

Speakers

Joel Blit, Department of Economics

Automation and the future of work: Who will have jobs, who will benefit, and
who will lose?
The coming AI revolution will have serious impacts on our labour markets. Will there still be enough jobs?  What effect will it have on inequality? How can we prepare for this future?

Carla Fehr, Department of Philosophy

Can AI be more ethical than its creators? 
Despite the cool logic of machine learning, algorithms can produce unintentionally racist and sexist outcomes. Why? Because they mirror the biases embedded in our culture. We need to address these human biases in order to make better machines.

Lennart Nacke, Department of Communication Arts | Stratford School of Interaction Design & Business

How can we improve the user experience with AI?
People are concerned with making machines more human and user-friendly. But how do we build machines that display feelings just like humans and what are the potential pitfalls? Iterative testing and emotional design are vital to making better AIs.