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Artificial Intelligence: Myth and Reality

Some of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are meeting in our new West Court development to look at everything from the influence of science fiction on our dreams of the future, to ‘trust in the age of intelligent machines’.

The two-day conference (July 13th and 14th) is the first major event held by the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) since its globally-publicised launch by Stephen Hawking and other AI luminaries in October 2016. 

Bringing together policy makers and philosophers, as well as leading figures from science and technology, speakers include Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, Matt Hancock (Minister for Digital and Culture), Baroness Onora O'Neill and Francesca Rossi (IBM). The first day of the conference is in partnership with the Royal Society, while the second is in partnership with the Jesus College Intellectual Forum.

Dr Stephen Cave, Executive Director of CFI, said: “Rarely has a technology arrived with such a rich history of myth, storytelling and hype as AI. The first day of our conference will ask how films, literature and the arts generally have shaped our expectations, fears and even the technology itself.

“Meanwhile, the second day will ask how and when we can trust the intelligent machines on which we increasingly depend – and whether those machines are changing how we trust each other."

Programme highlights include:

  • Sci-Fi Dreams: How visions of the future are shaping development of intelligent technology
  • Truth Through Fiction: How the arts and media help us explore the challenges and opportunities of AI
  • Metal people: How we perceive intelligent robots – and why
  • Trust, Security and the Law: Assuring safety in the age of artificial intelligence
  • Trust and Understanding: Uncertainty, complexity and the ‘black box’

The conference is being generously sponsored by Accenture and PwC. Tickets are sold out, but livestreaming of the event is available via YouTube and the hashtag to follow on Twitter is #CFIConf