Artificial, maritime and cultural intelligence, driving forward an inclusive digital economy.
Join us to meet award-winning, generous, creative speakers, who are leading innovators, researchers, artists, jurists, and cultural change makers, advancing the incredible shift necessary to set spolid foundations for inclusive and sustainable digital societies, both its economy and democratic processes. The program is curated by Valentine Goddard, UN expert on Digital Policy and Governance and member of Canada's Advisory Council on AI. The event and prizes are made possible with the support of AI Impact Alliance's Partners: Microsoft, Réseau Québec Maritime, Sustainable Development Center, FEF Foundation, X-Ryerson, Alberta and Dalhousie Universities, Applied Perception Lab, Indigenous Culture and Media Innovation (ICMI) and all those who purchase tickets, speak for free, volunteer to this grassroots movement gone global.
Program Overview
November 18th
9:15-9:55 EST Welcome with Valentine Goddard at 9:15, bring your coffee! And don't be late for the traditional opening ceremony with Amelia Tekwatonti around 9:40! :-)
10:00 -11:05 AM EST / Global Data Dynamics: At the core of Digital Economies is Data Monetization, the value of data. Unimaginable even 2 years ago, now, nationwide and international data sharing partnerships and regulations are framing this economic model. Everyone wants to join this panel, as we address questions such as: How Will New Sharing Partnerships Determine the New Winners and Losers of Digital Economies. What are the emerging business models and frameworks that will govern national and international Data Partnerships? Who owns the Commons in Digital Economies ? What could Data Markets look like? MODERATOR: Kai-Hsin Hung (HEC). SPEAKERS: Amrita Nanda, AAPTI Institute, Bangalore, India; Stefaan Verhulst, The GovLab, New York, US; Jessica Leblanc, TIESS, Quebec (Canada).
11:15AM EST / Break-out Session with Start-Ups with a Social Mission such as Alo Solutions (the CEO Sarah Sparks will do a 10 min presentation at 2:45PM). Daniel Harris, experienced Data Scientist AI research and project manager, along with other team players for AI Impact Alliance will answer their questions on how to adopt AI to augment their impact. Join us for a small group discussion with hands-on advice.
1:00 -2:30 PMEST / Natural resource management in a digital economy, under the lens of gender equality: Let's face it: both AI and the maritime sector could benefit from a more balanced gender representation and diversity. The Gender Equality in Digital Economies panel will explore economic Strategies and policies that accelerate the achievement of SDGs, one of them being the impact of women in this sector. How can intersectional, gender-focused & regional perspectives benefit to our planning of Sustainable Digital Economies? This discussion examines gendered dynamics and implications for the future of peace and security (including climate science, food security, marine transport, etc). Is there a gendered impact (social, economic, political) to AI systems? Are there operational and national security risks to the underrepresentation of women in AI, especially when it comes to natural resource management? Can digitization transformation improve gender balance in the agricultural and maritime sectors? MODERATOR: Valentine Goddard, AI Impact Alliance. SPEAKERS: Daniela Chimisso de Santos, Transparency International Canada; Monique Manatch, Indigenous Culture and Media Innovation (ICMI); Chastity Davis, Chastisty Davis Consulting.
2:45-3:45 PM EST / Break-out Session with Start-Ups with a Social Mission. Daniel Harris, experienced Data Scientist AI research and project manager, along with other team players contributing for AI Impact Alliance will answer their questions on how to adopt AI to augment their impact. Together, this team can answer your business strategies questions, applied AI as well as ethical and legal implications to consider. Join us for a small group discussion with hands-on advice about AI implementation, helping your organization move forward in the direction you wish to take it. Can AI really help your goal? Do you have the necessary data? What are helpful resources to help you achieve these ideas?
3:50 PM EST: Poster session with the PhD students with selected papers on eliminating bias in AI.
4:30 PM EST End of Day 1. See you tomorrow!
November 19th
9:15-10:25 AM EST / STEAM-Based approaches to Machine Learning: Where does Art fit in the "data curation to algorithmic output" pipeline? What is the added value of the Arts in the development and the governance of AI. In this panel, we hope to tie in for the participant, the possibilities and challenges of the use of AI for Oceans and Sustainable Water Management, with the important role art plays in the social change needed for Responsible AI as we navigate towards increasingly digitized societies. Our expert panelists operate globally and locally, in AI, and in art for social change on issues such as AI ethics, climate action and access to water. SPEAKERS : Raïsa Mirza, One Drop Foundation, Global Cause partner of the Cirque du Soleil; David Maggs, Innovation Fellow, Metcalf Foundation; Senior Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies in Sustainability, Potsdam; Chris Speed, Chair of Design Informatics, College of Art, University of Edinburgh.
10:30 -11:30 AM EST / Sustainable Smart Oceans: Chaired by professor Stan Matwin, this panel surveys fundamental and current relative to Sustainable Smart Oceans. AI is a potentially powerful tool helping humanity to better understand and manage our most important resource – Earth’s Ocean. This panel will look at the potential opportunities of applying I AI in decision-making related to sea life protection, fishing, coastal communities, transportation and security. The panel will also discuss pitfalls related to the misuses of advanced intelligent systems and Big Data in the ocean sector. Can AI assist with the issues and challenges of increasing inequalities - economic, national and demographic – as they relate to oceans? Moderator: Stan Matwin (Dalhousie University). SPEAKERS: Emily Charry Tissier (Whale Seeker); Camila Fernández, CEODOS, and Alessandra RAFFAETA, University Ca' Foscari, Venezia.
1:00 - 2 PM EST / Keynote and discussion with Yoshua Bengio on Policies for the responsible development of data-driven AI innovations.
2:15-3:15 PM EST / Countering Bias in AI: Whether it's gender, cultural, or racial, AI bias causes serious harm and must be eliminated. Although the entire program is focused on this ambitious goal, this panel chaired by Professor Ebrahim Bagheri offers a cutting edge view of the most recent AI methods (NLP, Computer Vision, Information Retrieval and Recommender Systems) that can provide much needed solutions from a technical perspective. Moderated by Ebrahim Bagheri, leader of the Responsible AI Consortium, X-Ryerson University. Speakers: Eleni Stroulia, Vice-Dean of Alberta & Dir AI4Society; Dan Adamson, CEO, co-founder, Armilla AI and Susanna Raj, DATA Ethics 4 ALL, AI4Nomads, Silicon Valley, joined by special guest Leigh Felton offering an important address on Responsible AI.
3:30-4:10PM EST: Special address by Leigh Felton, Chief of Staff, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector, on defining Responsible AI.
4:20 Prize time!!! 1st, 2nd, 3rd prize + a "Coup de coeur" for selected AI Art Projects + Announcing AI for SDGs, Human Rights and Reconciliation entrepreneurs support! Over 10 000$ worth of prizes and services being announced!
Meet prize winners of our Call for proposals, showcasing emerging scientific frameworks, best practices and cutting-edge innovative projects. Be inspired by the selected papers and "New Tides" projects, at the crossroads of Sustainable Oceans, AI and Art where interdisciplinary Machine Learning Design meets the Inter-Arts of AI Ethics and Governance. Meet the creations and creators of PearAI.Art is an algorithmic art project to counter gender bias in AI. The crowd-annotation app, designed by a women-led team, addresses AI's-Mis-Pear-ceptions of Us. Slide shows of art will be accompanied by tailored harp compositions by Hombeline Dumas for short, relaxing and inspiring breaks.
5:15PM EST Short closing address by Valentine Goddard, and most importantly the Closing Ceremony with Amelia Tekwatonti.
Why are these questions so important in 2021?
Why has Gender Equality become more urgent than ever to address? The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, for the best and the worst. As we celebrate its benefits, we must move forward with eyes wide open. Digital Economies can deepen gender and regional inequalities. Let's address issues at the core of economic recovery strategies, and work together to ensure Inclusive Digital Futures.
Why focus on Smart Oceans? Global investment in AI is forecasted to reach nearly $98 billion by 2023. By the year 2030, the application of AI to the agriculture, energy, transportation, and maritime sectors would result in gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4.4% in the best-case scenario, which equates to a potential gain of US$5.2 trillion, according to this report from PWC and Microsoft. Economic growth must go hand in hand with Sustainable Development Goals. The questions addressed are fundamental to Natural Resource Management in Digital Economies.
Join us if you are curious about : Natural Language Processing, Text-to-Image Generation, Information Retrieval Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Curation and Machine Learning Design, AI ethics, Scientific Illustration, Cultural and Techno-Social Mediation, Law, Knowledge Mobilization, Digital Transformation, Critical and Informatics Design, Change Management, New Media Art.
This fundraising event is organized by AI Impact Alliance. To become a partner, please click the button below or contact v.goddard@allianceimpact.org.