UNIC Lightning Bites – Agents of Intelligence: Better AI for Academia (Session 2)

This seminar tackles the question "How can we enable better Generative AI applications in aid of practices within academia?"

Virtual Place

Date

Start: 11.09.2023

End: 11.09.2023

Partners

The CityLabs Lightning Bites series considers diverse perspectives on and cross-cutting implications of AI for learning - from literacy to ethics, from course design to skills development, from the future of work to the student experience today, from learning environments on campus to learning cities.

During the series, Michele Murgia, a representative from Erasmus University Rotterdam hosted a seminar called "Better AI for Academica". Here, conversations around the application of Generative AI, or more specifically LLMs like ChatGPT in education practices (learning, teaching, conducting research), as well as its benefits and potential implications.

Discussions were raised around the potential alternatives to harness the power of Generative AI without succumbing to its downsides, which reveals exciting approaches and innovations as workarounds.

The Elegant Simplicity of Deep Neural Networks was discussed: Contrary to popular belief, the underpinnings of deep learning are rooted in surprisingly simple mathematics. Through a clever combination of functions and parameters, deep neural networks manage to discern patterns in vast amounts of data. This presentation unveils these foundational equations and showcases how something so straightforward can power cutting-edge innovations in artificial intelligence.

If you are interested in the recording of this session, please check the gallery section!

Michele Murgia is an expert in Artificial Inteligence and its application in the Education sector. He is currently developing and coordinating academic and post-academic education in Artificial Intelligence, data, and digitalisation. He is an AI education coordinator at Erasmus University Rotterdam, developing an open source LLM dedicated to Erasmians to support their academic activities.