AI, sustainability, and ethics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a catalyst for change across almost every industry. In this workshop, we’ll look at how machine learning and automation change society using real-world examples from resource management.
AI is particularly critical for the low-carbon economy because it allows for large-scale coordination of local action. From self-regulating buildings to smart-grid operations to energy storage, AI can help sustain the optimal use of natural and industrial resources.
In this workshop, we will develop the intuition and common sense needed to apply AI in a low-carbon economy. Participants will learn about the abilities and limitations of modern AI through hands-on interaction. They will explore common-sense approaches to AI ethics by competing in trivia teams. They will learn how get started with AI by participating in the launch of a real, government-scale project.
Target Audience:
This session is for you if:
- You are in the federal, provincial, state, territorial or municipal government and wondering how to use AI for sustainable growth.
- You are an IT leader with data engineering experience, and you want to develop an intuition for the ethical application of AI.
- You are a nonprofit or NGO and are developing a vision for AI in the low-carbon economy.
Prerequisites:
Participants should have a background in the following
- Basic familiarity of machine learning and its real-world applications
- Basic knowledge of data ingestion, infrastructure, and analytics
- Real-world experience with the federal government
Participants will need the following materials in advance of the session
A laptop and smartphone with a web browser and working Wi-Fi connection
Expected Outcomes:
By the end of the session, participants will have a high-level understanding of…
- The abilities and limitations of modern AI technology
- The common sense needed to predict AI behavior and anticipate risk
- How AI can support a low-carbon economy
- How to get started on a government-scale AI project
Learning Activities:
The day will consist of 3, 1-hour activities [45 minutes of content, 15-minute break]. Each session will build from the lessons learned so far:
- AI: Working in small groups, participants will develop their AI intuition by interacting with applications and solving small problems
- AI and Ethics: Participants will work in trivia teams to build the common sense needed for the ethical application of AI.
- AI Ethics and Sustainability: Participants will help launch a real, government-scale application of AI in sustainability.
AI:
It’s too early to worry about a sentient AI apocalypse. AI can simulate human-level performance but only for very specific tasks. More realistically, AI will help make public services smarter and more meaningful. In this session, participants will experience, firsthand, the abilities and limitations of modern AI technology. Working in small groups, participants will develop their AI intuition by using Jupyter notebooks to interact with applications and solve small problems.
AI and Ethics:
AI (typically based on machine learning) improves by learning from experience. AI software is one of the few products that gain new features after it is released. The central ethical challenge of AI is how to get early warning before the software learns to do something unethical. In this session, participants will compete in trivia teams with questions that build the common sense needed to predict AI behavior and anticipate risk.
AI, Ethics and Sustainability:
By assisting with large-scale coordination of local, sustainable actions, AI can be the key to a low-carbon economy. A primary challenge to government-scale, sustainable AI is moving past plans and getting started. In this session, attendees will participate in the launch of a real, government-scale application of AI in sustainability. Participant will shape the scope and build a backlog.
SUPPORTING MATERIAL AVAILABLE AT: https://blogs.dxc.technology/2019/10/31/the-foward50-workshop-on-ai-sustainability-and-ethics/
