Narrowing the intelligence gap

Brought to you by The Artificial Intelligence Group

This evening Byte-Size event (with pizza and beer) features Neil Lawrence, IPC Machine Learning at Amazon and Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Sheffield, outlining his views on whether the latest AI is "more human" and if so, how.

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About the event

How are we making computers do the things we used to associate only with humans? Have we made a breakthrough in understanding human intelligence?

While recent achievements might give the sense that the answer is yes, the short answer is that we are nowhere near. All we’ve achieved for the moment is a breakthrough in emulating intelligence. In this talk we discuss two differences between the artificial intelligence we’ve deployed and the natural intelligence we exhibit. Resolving one is a challenge of changing the way we do systems design, the other, we argue, is a more fundamental difference that may never be overcome.

Neil Lawrence, Director, IPC Machine Learning at Amazon and Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Sheffield, sets the record straight.

You can follow @CambWireless on Twitter and tweet about this event using #AIByteSize.

Hosted and sponsored by Amazon

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Agenda

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The information supplied below may be subject to change before the event.

17:30

Registration, networking and refreshments

18:00

CW welcome and introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Security SIGs from Simon Mead, CEO, CW (Cambridge Wireless)

18:05

Welcome from event host and sponsor, Amazon

18:10

'How are we making computers do the things we used to associated only with humans? Have we made a breakthrough in understanding human intelligence?': Neil Lawrence, Director, IPC Machine Learning at Amazon

19:10

Wrap-up

19:15

End of session followed by networking and refreshments

Kindly sponsored by Amazon

20:15

Event closes

Speakers

Neil Lawrence - DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge, Visiting Professor, University of Sheffield

Neil Lawrence is the DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge in the Department of Computer Science and Technology. He is co-host of “Talking Machines” podcast and a Visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield. Neil was previously Director of Machine Learning at Amazon in Cambridge.

He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southampton in 1994. Following a period as an field engineer on oil rigs in the North Sea he returned to academia to complete his PhD in 2000 at the Computer Lab in Cambridge University. He spent a year at Microsoft Research in Cambridge before leaving to take up a Lectureship at the University of Sheffield, where he was subsequently appointed Senior Lecturer in 2005. In January 2007 he took up a post as a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Computer Science in the University of Manchester where he worked in the Machine Learning and Optimisation research group. In August 2010 he returned to Sheffield to take up a collaborative Chair in Neuroscience and Computer Science. From 2016 to 2019 he was Director of Machine Learning at Amazon where he world on deploying machine learning solutions for Prime Air, Alexa and in the Amazon supply chain.

Neil’s main research interest is machine learning through probabilistic models. He focuses on both the algorithmic side of these models and their application. He has a particular focus on applications in personalized health and computational biology, but happily dabbles in other areas such as speech, vision and graphics.

Neil was Associate Editor in Chief for IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (from 2011-2013) and is an Action Editor for the Journal of Machine Learning Research. He was the founding editor of the Proceedings of Machine Learning Research (2006) and is currently series editor. He was an area chair for the NIPS conference in 2005, 2006, 2012 and 2013, Workshops Chair in 2010 and Tutorials Chair in 2013. He was General Chair of AISTATS in 2010 and AISTATS Programme Chair in 2012. He was Program Chair of NIPS in 2014 and was General Chair for 2015. He is one of the founders of the Gaussian Process Summer Schoo, the DALI Meeting and Data Science Africa and is a member of the UK’s AI Council.

SIG Champions

Darendra Appanah - Senior Test Engineer, Cambridge Consultants

Darendra is part of the Systems Engineering & Test department, where he applies his expertise in Digital Security Testing to various technologies, including Machine Learning and AI. He has a background in Software Test Automation of wireless communications protocols, such as satellite communications and LTE. He enjoys defining and developing testing strategies for cybersecurity challenges and ensuring the quality and reliability of innovative solutions.

Maria Axente - Head of AI Public Policy & Ethics, PwC UK

Maria is a globally recognised, award-winning AI ethics public policy expert, a member of various Advisory Boards - UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI (APPG AI), NATO EDT & SKEMA AI Institute, and Chair of techUK Data and AI leadership committee. In her current role as Head of AI Public Policy and Ethics, she aligns PwC's AI strategies with ethical considerations and regulatory trends, fostering collaboration with external stakeholders and leading PwC's responses to public policy consultations and initiatives. Maria's commitment to responsible AI has made her a recognised thought leader and influencer in the field. Maria is a passionate advocate for children's rights in the age of AI, serving as a member of the Advisory Board for UNICEF #AI4Children and World Economic Forum Generation AI programmes. She also serves as an Intellectual Forum Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge researching human-centric AI and the intersection between tech policy and ethics.

Phil Claridge - Founder, Mandrel Systems

Phil Claridge is a ‘virtual CTO’ for hire within Mandrel Systems covering end-to-end systems. Currently having fun and helping others with large-scale AI systems integration, country-wide large scale big-data processing, hands-on IoT technology (from sensor hardware design, through LoRa integration to back end systems), and advanced city information modelling. Supporting companies with M&A ‘exit readiness’, due-diligence and on advisory boards. Past roles include: CTO, Chief Architect, Labs Director, and Technical Evangelist for Geneva/Convergys (telco), Arieso/Viavi (geolocation), and Madge (networking). Phil’s early career was in electronics, and still finds it irresistible to swap from Powerpoint to a soldering iron and a compiler to produce proof-of-concepts when required.

Parminder Lally - Partner, Appleyard Lees IP LLP

Parminder is a patent attorney based in Appleyard Lees’ Cambridge office, and helps companies to protect their technological innovations. She has built a substantial reputation working with high-growth start-ups, spin-outs and SMEs in Cambridge, and has in-house experience. She specialises in writing and prosecuting patent applications for computer-implemented inventions. Her work includes patenting AI-based technologies, including new machine learning frameworks and applications of machine learning in image classification, human-computer interactions and text-to-speech. Parminder also writes her own AI blog on LinkedIn, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys’ Computer Technology Committee.

Simon Thompson - Head of AI, ML & Data Science, GFT Financial Ltd

Simon leads a team that develops AI and ML solutions for large financial institutions. Before joining GFT he was the Principal Investigator for BT’s AI program. Before that he was the Head of Practice for Big Data and Customer Experience at BT and BT’s lead for collaborations with MIT, and the first industry fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. Simon is interested in practical application of AI technology and the practice and process of AI and ML projects. His book “Managing Machine Learning Projects” was published by Manning Books in 2023.

Peter Whale - Founder & CEO, Vision Formers

Peter is Founder & CEO of Vision Formers, the specialist consultancy that supports and mentors leaders of visionary technology businesses get product to market and turn ideas into reality.

Vision Formers works with start-ups and scale-ups, providing significant expertise in accelerating business growth through a focus on developing a robust product strategy, growing and coaching product and development teams, and providing operational excellence. Peter has a long track record of conceiving, developing and marketing successful technology-based solutions, deployed at scale, globally. Innovative products Peter has brought to market in digital, cloud, AI, consumer electronics and telecommunications have been used by countless millions of people on a daily basis globally, badged by the world’s leading digital and technology brands.

Peter also works with Digital Catapult as Programme Manager for UKTIN, working with partners and stakeholders to deliver UKTIN’s mission to transform the UK telecoms innovation ecosystem, capitalising on the country’s strengths in technology, academia, and entrepreneurialism, while positioning it for growth as new opportunities emerge in the industry.

Peter is a board member of CW (Cambridge Wireless), a Fellow of the IET, a Chartered Engineer, and a member of the Association of Business Mentors.

Event Location

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Location info

Amazon, Amazon Cambridge Development Centre, 1 Station Square, Cambridge CB1 2GA

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