Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world as we know it, transforming industries, driving economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for people worldwide. However, the immense power of AI also raises crucial questions about ethics, governance, and socio- economic impacts of this groundbreaking technology.
MIT Media Lab, MIT RAISE, and Unilab Foundation, along with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), UP National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED), and the Center for Integrated STEM Education (CISTEM) unite to present AI-mazing Day: Exploring the Transformative Power of Artificial Intelligence.
The series of events was a two-part celebration held at the UP NISMED with teachers, parents and students in attendance and the 2nd part at the Unilab Garden Lounge for a social conversation among the government-industry-education (GIE) leaders – AI in Governance, AI in Health, AI in the Industry specifically in Manufacturing.
These events are a ‘first of it’s kind’ in the Philippines as like-minded individuals together with subject matter experts share ideas and insights on how artificial intelligence can be harnessed towards the nation’s progress. In a remarkable collaboration, the organizers and partner institutions have joined forces to showcase the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence and explore how AI is transforming our world together with the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The amazing Day of AI events provided a platform where government, industry, and education sectors can come together to share emerging and best practices for navigating the AI-driven future.
Unilab Foundation’s Executive Director Ms Lilibeth Aristorenas says that: “These series of events mark a milestone of collaboration between subject matter experts that are willing to share their expertise and insights on the landmark technological advancement which is ‘artificial intelligence.’ This also provides an avenue for like-minded individuals to share their ideas and insights with each other as they actively engage one another during the workshops with the end goal of gaining more insights on A.I.”
Leading the panel of esteemed resource speakers is Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, a renowned Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, Dean for Digital Learning, and Director of MIT RAISE Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Breazeal is a pioneer in the fields of social robotics and human-robot interaction, with a focus on developing AI technologies that promote human flourishing and personal growth. Her expertise provided invaluable insights into the transformative power of AI.
In her talk Dr. Breazeal emphasizes the importance of getting involved in the development of artificial intelligence by saying (that): “The more we can ground people in an AI literacy foundation, the more they can develop the skills and aptitude and a deep appreciation and a responsible design ethos, that is why active collaboration is so crucial.”
Other keynote speakers during the events were Dr. Christopher P. Monterola -Head of Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship of the Asian Institute of Management and Dr. Kenneth Y. Go – Senior Research Fellow of the Ateneo Policy Center, School of Government.
Dr. Monterola presented key insights on how AI can be a force for good in the context of augmenting the learning capabilities of working professionals to be at par with the demands of the current work environment. With the advent of modern technological advancements, to be relevant today, workers need to know how to connect not only with people but with technology as well.
Dr. Go supports the claim of the augmenting power of AI for the healthcare profession. Citing that health professionals can benefit from AI tools in helping with research and streamlining the health care process especially with the huge amounts of medical findings constantly being produced. AI for good can help in sorting data in order to better serve patients with better diagnosis.
At the conclusion of AI-Mazing Day 2023 in the country, it was determined by the participants and attendees that artificial intelligence holds a lot of promise in moving the nation forward but there is also a need to better understand the technology’s capability to be a tool to augment an individual’s learning, skill and understanding.
Moving forward, it is the hope of the organizers and participants that more dialogues, collaborative efforts, and exchange of ideas take place in order to explore the ethical use of artificial intelligence. For this reason, the Center for Integrated STEM Education (CISTEM) and UP National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED) have made plans to contextualize the MIT RAISE curriculum for the country’s K-12 program and share materials with the Department of Education for the benefit of Filipino students who want to learn more about AI. Aside from this, UP-NISMED and CISTEM will also offer AI training based on MIT RAISE’s curriculum.
After the workshops, GIE leaders expressed their interest in moving forward with the conversation on AI to adapt the technology in key areas such as Health and Advanced Manufacturing workforce education. Participant LGUs also wish to organize a platform for their local governments to share best practices in adopting AI for Governance and policy advocacy.
For more information on how to participate in MIT’s RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education) program Day of AI, please visit: https://www.dayofai.org/register