The third instalment in the annual series of Gay Byrne Memorial Lectures was held on Wednesday November 19th in the Lighthouse Cinema Complex in Smithfield Dublin 7.
This year’s theme was AI -Myth, Magic or Monster? Addressed by keynote speaker writer, broadcaster and entrepreneur Mark Little, who has written and spoken extensively on the subject. The moderator was Dr Patricia Scanlon, Chair of the AI Advisory Council and Ireland’s first AI Ambassador.
The event was held in the largest of The Lighthouse’s screen rooms, before an extremely committed and engaged audience, composed of journalists, students, academics, broadcasters and members of the general public interested in the mysteries of developing Artificial Intelligence and in its potential for benevolent – or otherwise – power and influence.
Our keynote speaker pointed out that AI challenges us by having to confront the essential question of what it means to be human now. How we engage with human story-telling. He quoted the philosopher and historian Hannah Arendt, (describing totalitarianism and how it destabilises reality) “where everything is possible and nothing is true.” It left us all with a lot to think about.
The keynote address and conversation with Dr Scanlon was followed by an exceptionally lively and insightful general audience discussion.
