The Notebook: Gavin Poole on AI, London’s eSports crown and virtual reality skills

friend or foe? Why we should avoid snap calls on the future of artificial intelligence

Last week, almost every front page of our national newspapers quoted ‘AI pioneers’ warning us that AI progress could lead to our own extinction – as they put it, nuclear weapons or some other pandemic. . Of course, whenever an expert in this field takes to the stage, we must listen. But at the same time, won’t the ‘existential risk’ of AI largely depend on how we implement it?

While we must certainly monitor the use of artificial intelligence, we must also embrace its potential to truly reap the benefits of this technology. As we’ve already discovered, AI can improve our lives in myriad ways – optimizing work, accelerating cures for diseases, progressing towards a carbon-free world, enhancing education, powering economic growth and by helping emerging countries industrialize rapidly.

Creating the conditions for AI to develop safely will be critical to this progress. But most importantly, we need to train people – especially our young people – how to use technology properly. As many of our children are preparing for GCSEs and A-Levels this summer, I believe AI should be made part of the curriculum. Soon, the modern arms race will center on who has the most AI-savvy workforce, and who can maximize the tools as they drive innovation, productivity, and creativity.
It is not in our best interests to dismiss AI as an apocalyptic phenomenon in the making. It is important to engage in a conversation about how we use it, which is why this week, EAST is convening the best and brightest minds to discuss the AI ​​debate at our campus in East London. We look forward to some significant progress in answering the question – AI: friend or foe?

London has stolen a march on esports

President Macron has recently won praise for his efforts to position France as a ‘great exporting nation’. However, we should not overlook the pioneering efforts of London. Especially in East London, where after the Olympic Games, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has been turned into a major destination for gaming, with the Mayor of London recently calling it “the global leader in esports”. Just last month, Olympic Park hosted major eSports tournaments, including a 20-day League of Legends tournament that welcomed thousands of people to East London. With Paris hosting the Olympics next year, Macron’s support of the esports scene seems like an opportune time for London to consider and promote its own Olympic heritage.