Dr Rumman Chowdhury, a leading US science envoy, delivered a seminar on ‘AI Waves in the Pacific’ at The University of the South Pacific (USP) last week, urging Pacific nations to recognise the need for responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and usage.
Dr Chowdhury highlighted a shift in the AI landscape, noting that AI has existed for quite some time now and recent advancements have made it significantly more accessible.
“We’ve moved from a world in which we had to be a programmer to engage with this technology to anybody who can now go on their phones and message this technology the way you might send a text to your family members,” Dr Chowdhury shared.
“Now what this means is that this no-code revolution that we’ve been seeing across technology is starting to appear in AI as well. As we build the technology, whether it has AI incorporated into it or not, more people have access to it.”
Dr Chowdhury emphasised that accessibility did not equate to responsible usage of AI.
“We need to be mindful that the technology does not automatically understand what is best for you and it is up to us to ensure that it is used in the right way,” she stated.
Addressing the common anxieties surrounding the impact of AI on jobs, Dr Chowdhury debunked the myth of job displacement due to these technologies.
“I’m sitting here in Fiji and able to connect with my team that is all over the United States, actually all over from North America, from Toronto to Cambridge to Massachusetts to New York, because of these technologies that exist. So, did that put anybody out of a job? I think it enables more jobs to exist because we continue working and I continue engaging with my team from anywhere in the world,” she explained.
“Often when I talk to those in the creative fields such as photographers and graphic designers, they’re quite excited about what AI can do for them. I would take this mythology about AI with a grain of salt. AI is not coming for your job. I think it is actually about learning to be adaptable and resilient in an ever-changing economy.”
“In the next 10 years you will be doing very different things in your field compared to today and you will have to adapt. People will always be needed. AI will not automate everything we do but you will have to have the ability to be flexible and adaptable in the face of change so that is probably the most valuable thing you can get out of your education.”
According to Professor Bibhiya Nand Sharma, Head of School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Physics (STEMP), the University plans to incorporate AI into its curriculum and research.
“Our staff and students are engaged in a good number of research projects from developing AI solutions to sustainable economies to exploring the social implications of AI adoption,” shared Professor Sharma.
“We also have several external and internal partners through Memorandum of Understandings. We are trying to explore AI projects and address some of these pressing issues in the Pacific. Again, we have areas of ocean and land resource management, sustainable tourism, effective use of storage, use and storage of renewable energy, smart city solutions, sustainable economies and others on our plates.”
“I am very much excited to see the potential of AI to transform our Pacific region.”
Recognising the critical role of technology in addressing challenges in the Pacific region, The University of the South Pacific has recently launched its new Centre for Pacific Sustainability Futures.
According to Professor Sharma, this initiative aims to equip future generations with the skills needed to make the most out of AI and cybersecurity to tackle pressing issues such as climate change.
