At Calgary conference, AI is top tech talk
At a Calgary conference focusing on technology and innovation Friday, artificial intelligence was the main headliner. The tech has been around for decades, but has been rapidly advancing in recent year and is now used in almost every industry.
"With the evolution of technology, and the increase of artificial intelligence with new products like ChatGPT, we need to discuss and plan for the future of how those technological advances affecting us from industry, to post-secondary to individuals who are working," said Marlenie Arana with Alberta Innovates, the group that put on the three-day Inventures conference this week.
The Telus Convention Centre became home to displays of how AI can help in healthcare and advance agriculture.Some said the possibilities of the tech are endless, while others were quick to point out AI needs to be intentional and ethical.
"To me, AI is not magic. It's a tool that people are building," said Timnit Gebru, the founder of The Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute.
Gerbu was also fired from her position as a researcher with Google's Ethical AI team for raising concerns about the bias that exists in the technology.
It can be hard not to see AI as magic. From generating video from simple text prompts to chatbots, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, that can write essays in mere seconds, use of the tech has grown at an astounding rate.
Timnit Gerbu was also fired from her position as a researcher with Google's Ethical AI team for raising concerns about the bias that exists in the technology.
But Gebru says it comes at a cost.
"I think that's the hardest for people to understand -- because it's been marketed as magic. People don't know how the sausage is made, kind of thing, and it's made from their data and lots of people's exploitation," she said.
She's far from the only one raising concerns about artificial intelligence and the speed at which it has grown. Earlier this week, in a short statement released by the Center for AI Safety, dozens of leaders from the sector signed on to warn about the risks the technology can pose.
"Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war," reads the entirety of the statement, which was signed by figures in the industry, including the CEO of OpenAI and several Google executives.
Gebru says the path forward needs to include public education about AI and regulation of the tech. Several governments are mulling legislation focusing on AI, including Canada.
Last year, the federal government introduced Bill C-27, which looks at ensuring AI systems meet certain standards. However, Ottawa has been criticized for not moving quickly enough in passing and enacting the legislation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.