Revisiting the ASEFInnoLab5 Self-Learning Phase: A Recap of Speaker Presentations

In the first session, participants were welcomed into the programme by Ms Reka TOZSA, Director of ASEF’s Education Department, and Prof SHEN Yi, Director of Fudan University’s International Institution of Global Cyberspace Governance. 

After the welcome messages, Prof CHEN Zhimin, Vice President of Fudan University, delivered an introductory keynote titled “AI for Science”. He emphasised that as AI takes over the research field, there is a need to ensure the quality of data. To address this, he introduced several talent programmes at Fudan University and highlighted the achievements of its researchers in building high-quality databases.

Prof Chen’s presentation was followed by a horizon-expanding keynote on “Universities’ Role in AI Innovation Ecosystems” from Prof John SHAWE-TAYLOR, UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence and Director of the International Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI). Prof Shawe-Taylor highlighted the role that universities play in exploring questions around ethics in AI, and in supporting and motivating the use of AI in sustainable development and education. He also asserted that, as we try to understand and work with AI, it is vital to build an appreciation of our humanity that goes beyond bare intelligence. Our shared humanity must be at the core of our ethical approaches to AI.

Dr Theodore LECHTERMAN, UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics and Governance​ and an Assistant Professor at IE University, talked about the ethics of AI, focusing on UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The document stands as the most widely endorsed guidelines for AI written by a high-level group of scholars, practitioners, and civil society leaders with global representation. It covers not just the risks, but also the means to leverage the benefits of AI for human progress. He highlighted how this document centres on ethics and defines it, saying that “Ethics is the master concept that provides us tools with evaluating different sets of values, navigating tradeoffs, and figuring out the best reasons for action.”

Dr Lechterman’s lecture was followed by a presentation by Asst Prof Jerrold SOH, an Assistant Professor of Law and the Deputy Director of the Centre for Computational Law at Singapore Management University, who shed light on the AI governance landscape in Asia and Europe. “AI is not just hardware or software, but an entire ecosystem, an industry and a field of research,” he shared. He also underscored the key and unique role of universities in addressing AI governance given the academe’s relationship with facts and the truth.

Prof Colin de la HIGUERA, UNESCO Chair in Teacher Training Technologies with OER​​ and PC Chair in AI and Education at Nantes University, shared his thought-provoking ideas on AI in higher education and the future of teaching and learning in the age of AI. He discussed challenges we face at present, such as the disparities in AI use between students and faculty, difficulties in creating policies on the use of AI in academia, and the issues surrounding the use of AI in research. He emphasised the importance of training, open dialogue, and creating revisable policies to move forward.

Prof de la Higuera’s keynote was followed by a fireside chat with Mr David TIMIS, the Global Communications & Public Affairs Manager of Generation, which provided a platform for participants to ask questions about the impact of AI on education and the future of work and skills. Mr Timis highlighted the exponential growth of AI and its growing usefulness in teaching, but also called attention to the risks associated with this technology, like the diminishing of critical thinking or the reduced need for labour in companies.

Prof Patrick Paul WALSH, Vice President of Education and Director of the SDG Academy​ at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN), shared SDSN’s work, addressing concerns and upcoming trends on AI in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that higher education may focus on in the future. He highlighted the potential of AI to help us implement the SDGs and share knowledge at great speed. 

Ms Golestan “Sally” RADWAN, Chief Digital Officer of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), followed Mr Walsh’s presentation with a talk on how AI technologies can impact the environment both positively and negatively, and the role universities can play in these scenarios.  She highlighted that AI’s carbon footprint and water demand are massive and projected to grow further. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that stakeholders are aware of AI’s environmental impacts and are committed to promoting sustainable behaviours.