Image credit: YutongLiu-KingstonSchool of Art Talkingto AI 2.0
Join us for the third iteration of The New Real Salon, as we introduce our new international initiative, Doing AI Differently. This initiative sets out to integrate the humanities, data science, and engineering in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. It is led by The New Real and the Data-Centric Engineering at Alan Turing Institute; and brings together the UK’s Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC/UKRI) and partner institutions in the UK and North America.
AI has transitioned from numerical outputs to text-based, qualitative ones, highlighting the need for the humanities, arts and social sciences to guide its development. Doing AI Differently brings humanities insights directly into AI design, fostering collaboration between disciplines and aims to address complex, context-dependent tasks in AI. By doing so, it enhances AI tools for deep contextual analysis across different domains, and fundamentality advances data-centric engineering.
This event will showcase insights from our research in exploring humanities-based approaches to AI design. Throughout the event, audience members will have the opportunity to participate in the discussion.
📅 29 April
🕕 6:00–8:30 PM
📍 Edinburgh Futures Institute
🍷 Free, public, accessible — with canapés!
Hear from leading voices in AI, narrative tech, emotion modelling, and science storytelling. Participate, mingle, and be part of the shift in how we shape AI’s future.
🎤 Speakers
Frank Keller, Professor in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. Interests include computational narrative, and modeling key narrative concepts such as characters, plot turning points, and suspense.
Shauna Cocannon, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Durham. Investigates the intricate ways meaning emerges through interaction, and how empathy and emotion are operationalised computationally.
Wesley Goatley, Programme Director of Interaction Design and Visual Communication at University of the Arts London. Critical artist and researcher in AI, digital culture, and the climate crisis.
Gemma Milne, Lecturer at University of Glasgow and Science & Technology Journalist, Researcher, and Author and the Co-Host of the Radical Science podcast.
Cody Kommers, Research Associate in Doing AI Differently at the Alan Turing Institute.
Drew Hemment, Professor of Data Arts & Society, University of Edinburgh and The Alan Turing Institute.
Hosted by: Drew Hemment, Matjaz Vidmar, Cody Kommers & Courtney Bates
Event Program
6:00-6:10 - Catering and mingling
6:10-6:20 - Welcome: Drew Hemment & Courtney Bates
6:20-6:30 - Cody Kommers Talk
6:30-6:40 - Frank Keller Talk
6:40-7:00 - Cody Kommers & Frank Keller in conversation with Gemma Milne
7:00-7:10 - Q&A
7:10-7:20 - Shauna Concannon Talk
7:20-7:30 - Wesley Goatley Talk
7:30-7:50 - Shauna Concannon & Wesley Goatley in conversation with Drew Hemment
7:50-8:00 - Q&A
8:00-8:05 - Matjaz Vidmar Closing Remarks
8:05-8:30 - Mingle