Artificial intelligence, artificial idiocy, or probability machine?

Artificial Intelligence was born in 1956, went through some awkward teenage years (also known as “AI Winters”), and then — to almost everyone’s surprise — came roaring back with tools like ChatGPT. Today, AI is the fastest-growing industry in the history of capitalism and devours around 20% of the world’s R&D budget. That’s a lot of brainpower (artificial or otherwise).

Join Dr Karl as he connects the dots between the tech booms of yesterday — from the family car to the first home computers — and today’s mind-bending AI explosion. Along the way, he’ll share how AI has been used to both attack and discredit him, and how he’s now turning the tables to make it a Force for Good.

Expect real science stuff, genuinely funny (not artificially generated) stories, a few unexpected detours and — of course — question time with prizes.

This session is part of the Beaker Street Main Stage at Hobart City Hall. Your House Band for the evening will be the dangerously well-rehearsed Stevie and the Bunsen Burners. Enter through Market Place, where you’ll find drinks, food, fires, and friendly strangers. Come early, stay late to enjoy all the action.

Check out this You Tube video reel highlighting past years: