Inside AI Lecture

As part of our Academic Lecture Series (CCALS), pupils from across the Senior School attended a series of talks by Dr Tishtrya Mehta, a data scientist working in government who uses machine learning to help make public services fairer and more effective. Before moving into data science, Tish completed a PhD in Astrophysics and enjoys helping people understand complex scientific ideas through storytelling. 

The sessions looked at what artificial intelligence is, how it works and, perhaps most importantly, how it is likely to affect the lives and careers of today's students. 

Using the famous 1997 chess match between Garry Kasparov and IBM's Deep Blue as a starting point, Tish explained how AI has developed and why it has become such an important technology. Students were introduced to key ideas in machine learning and saw examples of AI being used in areas ranging from recommendation systems and self-driving cars to scientific research and medicine. 

The talks also looked at some of the issues surrounding AI, including bias, safety and the need to think carefully about the information AI tools provide. Students were encouraged to check important facts for themselves and to remember that AI systems can give convincing answers that are not always correct. 

For older students, the discussion also covered the future of AI, careers and the skills that people are likely to need as the technology continues to develop. Throughout the day, pupils engaged well with the topics raised and asked a wide range of questions about both the technology itself and the opportunities it presents.