The Duke of Edinburgh's Emerging Leaders' Dialogues Canada, President's Council Forum 2018

Creating Globally Connected Leaders: How is Artificial Intelligence Changing the Workplace and Education?

Held on May 23rd, 2018, at Marlborough House, London, U.K.

Introduction: Sir. Trevor Carmichael, KA, LVO, QC, Chairman, The Duke of Edinburgh's Emerging Leaders' Dialogues President's Council

Session 1: The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, will share her vision for the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a family of 53 independent sovereign states, and home to 2.4 billion people. Building on the Commonwealth Advantage of shared inheritances, and similarities of law and administration, its members are committed to creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future for all.

The people and institutions of the Commonwealth work together through a broad range of intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations committed to sharing the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter that cherish equality of opportunity and celebrate diversity.

The Commonwealth Secretariat works alongside member countries to promote democracy and good governance. Justice, with respect for human rights under rule of law, is understood as the foundation both for economic development with sustainable growth, trade and investment, and for inclusive social progress particularly through the empowerment of women and youth.

Session 2: Emma Kendrew, Artificial Intelligence Lead, Accenture Technology UKI

Improving the way people work and live. How technology, and AI, is changing the corporate social contract.

Technology is now deeply embedded in our everyday lives, becoming central to how we live, work, communicate and govern. The rapid advancements in technology represent huge opportunities to improve the way people work and live and address some our most challenging problems, but they also drive new responsibilities. As people give organisations an unprecedented level of access to their homes, personal lives, and data, they are demanding something in return: a reciprocal relationship based on trust, transparency and shared ethical values.

Artificial intelligence is core to this change. As AI grows in maturity and reach, it raises urgent and challenging questions on the future of work, education, inclusion, culture, and the relationship between people and machine. This creates new expectations and responsibilities for organisations and leaders; they must proactively engage with the power and potential impacts of AI, and 'raise' it to interact in the right way with people, and play a responsible, positive role in society.

Session 3 Dr. Peter Ricketts, President and Vice-Chancellor, Acadia University

Educating for the AI Revolution: How are universities preparing for the next major round of disruption.

According to many, artificial intelligence (AI) is already changing the landscape of higher education, and for some it will result in its ultimate demise of universities as the pathway to professional education. However, the death of universities has been predicted many times, and yet somehow these ancient institutions always seem to manage to adapt and embrace new technologies and new ways of knowing and learning.

AI will have many levels of impacts on higher education, including changes to way in which administrative functions are managed, transforming the learning environment through increased blended learning and simulation capabilities, and changing skill sets required by students as they prepare to liver and work in a society where AI is all pervasive.

AI will certainly disrupt higher education, but the disruption will be positive if we embrace the technologies and develop our capacity to stay ahead of the advances. This will not be easy, because the notion that AI will take us to the point where technology reached the capacity for "superintelligence", known as the point of singularity, means that it will be increasingly difficult if not impossible to keep ahead of the curve. For universities, therefore, AI raises not only issues of how we keep up with understanding technological change, but also how we maintain human control of the development of technology. The implications go far beyond computer science and IT, as they raise ethical, social and moral questions about how technological superintelligence will impact human society and our ability to be in control of our own destiny. How we prepare students to tackle this new world is the challenge we face.