There is so much happening in AI, both globally and here in New Zealand, it’s a constant effort to keep up with the ever-expanding reading list!
Here are just a few developments I’ve been following in recent weeks:
- Canadian AI Policy expert Tim Dutton has collated this excellent resource: An Overview of National AI Strategies. The AI Forum’s report features.
- The World Economic Forum discusses How AI changes the way we need to think about international affairs and examines some of the challenges for policymakers that may arise from the advancement and increasing application of AI.
- This month we welcome Stats New Zealand Tatauranga Aotearoa (Stats NZ) as a member of the AI Forum. Stats NZ and the Government Chief Data Steward play a key role in advancing the New Zealand data ecosystem which will underpin many of the benefits from AI and machine learning. Stats is also co-leading the cross-government algorithm review which is now underway.
- AI Forum sister organisation NZTech has been voicing critical concerns about the impact of proposed changes to R&D incentives for fast growing software firms and loss making startups. This will have a big impact on our AI innovators and it’s important that these voices are heard.
- As New Zealand slips another place down the Global Innovation Index, Liam Dann wrote a provocative piece in the NZHerald, Dumbing down – New Zealand economy not getting smarter. Follow @AIForumNZ on Twitter for the latest articles that we share.
This week the AI Forum of New Zealand joined international AI innovators and thought leaders as signatories of the Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWS) Pledge, whose key premise is ‘we will neither participate in nor support the development, manufacture, trade, or use of lethal autonomous weapons.’
Ultimately, the goal of the pledge is to encourage more governments to join those advocating for an international agreement banning the development and/or use of LAWS. Learn more and sign the pledge here.
The Refresh of New Zealand’s Cyber Security Strategy and Action Plan is now underway and this is critical for the future as AI will increasingly underpin cybersecurity efforts. The AI Forum will be actively contributing to the review, so if you would like to be involved, please contact me directly. In case you missed it, I also recommend reading the excellent Malicious AI Report from Future of Humanity Institute et al from earlier this year.
My schedule this week, is busy with travel, including a panel discussion on AI in Governance at the Institute of Directors in Christchurch, listening to local speakers at the AI Forum Connect event at Xero’s cool new HQ in Wellington and attending the NZTech AGM in Auckland on Thursday. I look forward to connecting with you at these events!
Best regards
Ben Reid
Executive Director
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NEWS & EVENTS
Join the AI Forum’s Connect events in Auckland on 7 August and Christchurch on 8 August. Listen to lightning talks from local AI specialists including human/robot interaction, machine vision in orchards and AI transparency.
Join the next #AIHappyHour on 26 July in Auckland for the AI Showcase event. Attend AIMCOM, an AI event for marketers on 5 September in Auckland. Save the date for AI-DAY 2019on 28 March.
Join the Partnership on AI’s Open House on 3 August in their new San Francisco headquarters.
The 31st Australasian Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence is 11-14 December in Wellington.
Attend The Waikato Dialogue: The Implications of Emerging Disruptive Technologies for International Security and New Zealand on 20 September at the University of Waikato. The deadline for abstract submissions is 17 August.
Join Data Driven Wellington. Their next meetup is 5 August. Participate in Victoria University of Wellington’s Organisational Data Capabilities academic research project.
The University of Auckland’s National Institute for Health Innovation is currently gauging interest in a symposium on AI in Healthcare on 21 November in Wellington. Please express your interest.
Attend NZTE’s Export Essentials Workshops, held throughout New Zealand from July to November. Learn how to select a market, find channel partners, create a unique value proposition and plan successful market entry.
In local news, New Zealand’s Government algorithm review is underway to increase transparency and accountability. Meanwhile, Awhi the chatbot is helping students find their National Student Number (NSN). Also, Vodafone New Zealand is working with IBM’s Watson for inbound queries.
In Australian news, researchers say students needs work experience to thrive in the age of automation. The research was a partnership between academia and the NSW Department of Education on how to prepare students for disruptive technologies. Read the report highlights here.
Applications for the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) four cohort close on 2 September, apply before 1 August for early bird pricing. The Flux Accelerator is also accepting applications.
Did you miss the headline events at Techweek’18? Watch the presentations from the Fourth Revolution, Creative Realities,10 Billion Mouths and more from Techweek TV here
TechWomen’s Edwina Mistry explains how the award winning ShadowTech programme helps girls consider tech jobs they didn’t know existed! Also, register your internship listing with Summer of Tech now.
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