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The event brought together artificial intelligence experts, students, staff, and special guests to Queen Mary. It explored the University’s role in supporting National AI Strategy and tapping into its AI expertise to benefit industry, government, as well as society.
The National AI Strategy, which was published in 2021, is an opportunity to place technology at the centre of the UK’s progress as a global science & innovation superpower. It also allows the UK to apply AI to the greatest problems of this century.
Queen Marys hosted a lively discussion with the experts, including Professor Greg Slabaugh, Professor Si Adrian Smith, Director and Chief Executive at The Alan Turing Institute, Sana Khreghani and Head of UK Government Office for AI. Shahed Alghrsi is a Queen Mary student in machine-learning for visual data analysis. The Q&A session covered a broad range of topics including how DERI fits into AI Strategy, creating a skilled workforce in order to drive AIs progress, advice and tips for AI start-ups, as well as the potential areas where AI might have the greatest transformative impact.
Following the presentation, guests had the opportunity to tour the newly renovated Empire House on Queen Marys Whitechapel campus. Visitors were able to see various displays that showcased the University’s cutting-edge AI research. Interactive data demonstrations were shown that connected to intelligent transport systems and an App that can predict violence among convicted criminals. There was also an App that can help guests generate new sounds online. Beat the AI computer game was also presented.
Participating in the event:Professor Colin Bailey, President of Queen Mary University of London, stated:Our Strategy outlines our goal to be the most inclusive university in the world. It challenges existing knowledge and generates new breakthroughs. It also engages locally, nationally, and internationally. The Strategy addresses the need to use a multi-disciplinary approach in order to address many of the world’s most pressing challenges. It also commits to the creation of interdisciplinarian University Research Institutes. The Digital Environment Research Institute (DIREI) is the first.
This is a wonderful day for Queen Mary as well as digital and data science. I am looking forward to the next few months and years.
Professor Greg Slabaugh is Director of the Digital Environment Research Institute, (DERI), and Professor of Computer Vision at Queen Mary.: The Digital Environment Research Institute is a unique foundation for multi-disciplinary digital and data science research. We are on the verge of achieving the critical mass necessary to deliver groundbreaking research to address major social challenges.
Now our goals are clear. First, to capitalize on Queen Mary’s internationally recognized expertise and foster new multi-disciplinary collaborations using digital and data science. To make the most of our physical and virtual space to facilitate research that has a positive impact on society. Third, to support wider ambitions for the UK to remain a leader in data science & AI by creating and sharing knowledge.