I had the pleasure of inviting Professor Shushma Patel, the UK’s first Pro Vice Chancellor of AI at De Montfort University, which took me down a bit of a memory lane as an alumnus.
But our conversation was a deep dive into the evolving landscape of AI and the current push against genuine innovation, from engineering to the arts.
Shushma explained the logic behind the recent merger at De Montfort, which brought together the faculties of computing, engineering, media, arts, and humanities to facilitate wider interdisciplinary collaborations.
This is the concept I like to discuss and debate in the world of AI: multidisciplinary convergence to solve real-world problems.
Shushma also emphasised the importance of responsible AI, highlighting that while AI holds immense potential, it must be applied ethically and with a deep understanding of the problems it seeks to address.
On the personal front, we both reflected on our own experiences of discovering AI through the power of bioinformatics in the 1990s. We discussed why building such wide experiences at the university level is vital for broadening horizons and opening doors to new possibilities for students and aspiring entrepreneurs in the field.
I’m not a fan of the anti-university rhetoric and the overblown nonsense of celebrating dropouts. I argued that in a world where AI is rapidly evolving, it’s essential to remember the human element. As Shushma aptly put it, AI should support learning, not replace it.
Join the conversation now for a glimpse of a positive AI future – once the current bubble explodes, and we start to prioritise grifter-free discussions of how AI can actually serve innovators, businesses, and humanity.
