The Data Lab’s annual conference discussed how data and AI will transform business and society as a whole.
500 delegates at Scotland’s leading data and AI event, DataFest, heard yesterday how data and AI have the power to unlock a brighter future and tackle global challenges such as climate change – but only if it’s used responsibly with users and stakeholders at the heart of its development.
DataFest, The Data Lab’s annual conference, which took place at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh over the 12th and 13th May, welcomed a diverse range of speakers that included technologists, philosophers, journalists, data science experts and engineers, entrepreneurs, AI ethicists, and data storytellers.
Under the theme of ‘Navigating Data and AI,’ the event moved beyond the AI hype to focus on practical, real-world applications and insights.
Entrepreneurship and ethics were strong threads across the programme, with several speakers alluding to the need to balance the societal benefits of technology adoption, with public concerns around misinformation and bias fueling inequality of power and trust. Through a variety of use cases, speakers also highlighted opportunities for businesses to use AI to create value and offer solutions.
Data and AI thought leaders dominated the line-up of keynote speakers at DataFest, including:
- AI Entrepreneur and researcher Dr Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer at WPP, who discussed a range of uses for AI, from the basic to the transformational. He alluded to a future in which new AI models could be combined with other areas of research such as neuroscience, known as neuromorphics – when AI is modelled on how our brain works.
- Head of OpenAI’s Forward Deployed Engineering team, Colin Jarvis, shared insights on how his team are already delivering practical applications to solve real-world problems for businesses, emphasising the importance of starting with the business need before applying AI solutions.
- BBC’s Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman, a leading voice in tech journalism, discussed the global tug-of-war between innovation and regulation, and what it means for the future of AI policy in the UK and beyond.
- Podcast host and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, Dr Eleanor Drage, highlighted the real risks of AI, including AI’s relationship to the material world, from climate impact to democratic processes, but also that you can design AI for social good.
Heather Thomson, CEO of The Data Lab, said:
“The popularity of this year’s DataFest demonstrates the increasing value that organisations place on AI and data, as well as their desire to maximise its use.
“We recognise that there is a significant amount of untapped potential. While more businesses are adopting digital technology and collecting substantial amounts of data, challenges still exist, particularly regarding data skills, the adaptation of AI technologies, and regional disparities.
“I hope this event has inspired attendees to believe that Scotland can cultivate a more prosperous and equitable society. By nurturing individuals and organisations, we can make a positive impact on the world through a deeper understanding of data and AI technologies and their responsible implementation.”
Delegates attended DataFest from across Scotland, the UK and beyond, including attendees from as far away as South Africa and Australia.