ECU as proud sponsor and host of the third Smart City Connect.
As part of Smart City Connect, Edith Cowan University (ECU), the City of Joondalup and the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) explored together how technology and innovation can and will create new jobs and build prosperity in Australia.
Smart City Connect is a knowledge series that explores how technology, innovation and resilience can help Australian cities and communities prosper, create jobs and economies of the future, and stay resilient from external environments.
The third event in the series, Jobs & Skills for Mobility Enabled Communities, focused on transformative opportunities on how we deliver infrastructure in Australia, emphasising strategies to decarbonise transportation, while increasing the productivity and resilience of our transport sector.
ECU's Professor Paul Haskell-Dowland giving the sponsor address at the event.
Offering expertise
ECU's School of Science was proud to sponsor and host the event on the Joondalup Campus.
Giving the sponsor address, Associate Dean for Computing and Security, Professor Paul Haskell-Dowland said that ECU's teaching and research expertise supports the forum's topic of Jobs & Skills for Mobility Enabled Communities.
"The discipline of Science and Maths within our broader School of Science offers complementary expertise to help build a smarter, greener future," Professor Haskell-Dowland.
"ECU is also proud that various disciplines across our Schools provide further knowledge to this area of importance.
"Opportunities such as the Smart City Connect, represent an exciting opportunity to work with our local neighbours, North Metro Tafe and the City of Joondalup, and NTRO to solve problems."
ECU's Associate Professor Martin Masek delivered a presentation titled 'AI Assistant or Overlord – the choice is ours'. Image credit: NTRO.
AI Assistant or Overlord – the choice is ours
ECU Associate Professor of Computer Science, Martin Masek who also leads the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CAIML) in the School of Science, delivered a presentation titled AI Assistant or Overlord – the choice is ours.
Professor Masek flagged that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the 'hot' technology promising us a better life but prompted us to consider how we want it to change the way we live and work.
"There have been past examples of AI 'helpers', for example the MC Word Paperclip, that were well-intentioned but not widely embraced," Professor Masek said.
"The importance lays in consulting and engaging with end-users of the technology as part of the development strategy, to ensure that their wants and needs are suitably catered for, and that implemented technology is well-informed, fit for purpose and culturally appropriate."
ECU's Dr Ahmed Ibrahim (second from the right) shared his insights during the panel discussion. Image credit: NTRO.
ECU producing skilled professionals
The forum also included a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring Senior Lecturer Dr Ahmed Ibrahim from ECU's School of Science.
Dr Ibrahim successfully led a recent project focused on training cyber defenders for maritime ports and was ideally placed to speak to the importance of securing critical infrastructure and ensuring digital resilience of the transport sector.
"We need skilled professionals who can keep us safe, ECU can play a part in producing new skilled professionals and also upskilling existing experts," Dr Ibrahim said.
"It is crucial to be prepared and to implement appropriate measures now, so we can be proactive rather than reactive."
Find out more about ECU's School of Science and Smart City Connect.
