We are very pleased to announce our first keynote speaker – Andrew Cox!
Andrew Cox is a senior lecturer at the Information School, University of Sheffield, UK. His research interests include libraries’ roles in RDM and AI, and in wellbeing. He is currently convenor of the IFLA Special Interest Group on AI, and a former chair of ASIS&T’s SIGAI.
Address title: The Dimensions of AI Literacy
Information professionals have a vital role today to promote algorithmic and AI literacy. Given the pervasive impact of AI on our information culture and the weaknesses of AI governance in many parts of the world, it is essential for everyone as citizens and workers to have some level of AI literacy. This is much more than just about teaching prompt engineering or even awareness of the inaccuracies inherent in AI as a source of information. It is also about promoting reflection about the impacts of AI on experiences, and awareness of wider, often hidden ethical and societal impacts. However, there are many aspects of the task of promoting AI literacy that are challenging: such as AI’s complex and changing nature, commercial interests in opacity and the difficulty of designing a message that recognises AI’s benefits and attractions, while giving appropriate warnings.