From ethics and data mining to e-commerce and productivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and its many areas of research, application and advancement will be the focus of a free Brock University conference next week.

The second annual AI Day at Brock will feature presentations by industry experts and researchers, who will share their insights, experiences and visions for the future of AI.

Set to take place Thursday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Pond Inlet, the conference is open to the Brock community and members of the public. Participants can register for the entire event or choose to attend only in the morning or afternoon.

Robson De Grande, Associate Professor of Computer Science and co-organizer of the event, says while the conference is a wonderful way to showcase the cutting-edge AI research being done at Brock, it’s also a great opportunity for people to learn about advancements that can impact many facets of their personal and professional lives, across a wide range of industries.

“AI is a hot topic almost everyone is talking about, but there are some misconceptions about it,” he says. “No matter one’s knowledge of AI – whether they’re skilled in computer and data science or they’ve contemplated using Chat GPT – attendees will come away from the conference with a better understanding of AI, its applications and some related research that could shape the trajectory of this emerging technology.”

Highlights of the conference include:

• A keynote speech on AI for productivity by Joel Martin, Chief Digital Research Officer and Chief Sciences Officer for the National Research Council of Canada.
• An interactive panel discussion on whether artificial intelligence is a means to an end or the goal itself.
• Seven technical presentations by Brock faculty members on topics such as integrating evolutionary computation and deep neural networks, AI-based energy system decarbonization, and using AI and machine learning to decode the language of human movement.
• Several student-led research presentations, both in poster form and three-minute “lightning” talks, on theoretical and applied topics such as automated reasoning, games, knowledge representation, multimedia processing and swarm intelligence.

Naser Ezzati-Jivan, Associate Professor of Computer Science and co-organizer of the event, encourages undergraduate and graduate students to register and take part.

“AI Day offers a unique opportunity for students across all disciplines to engage with the latest developments in AI, whether they’re already working in the field or interested in learning more,” he says. “It’s a rare chance to connect with industry and academic experts and see firsthand how AI impacts a wide range of fields.”

Visit the AI Day website to learn more and register.