Oceania AI Safety & Young Talent Conference

Project summary

Host an AI safety conference specifically targeting youth and students interested or could make immense positive change in the AIS field, and give them a platform to the implications of AI in transforming regional policy and economic opportunities, the need for responsible policy making and how we can cultivate long term, community based talent on AIS outside of traditional AI powerhouses, empowering small-medium nations with a say in how such technologies dictate our future.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

We aim to invite students from 30+ universities spanning the region and navigate the opportunities for AI to bring economic and social benefit for the area, and the implications of existential risk for more marginalised communities if usage fails to consider responsibility and ethical policy. We will personally survey attendee's own perspectives on existing risks and opportunities, and their vision of how AI can be integrated with the least turbulent impact in the event of any societally altering scenario. We hope to foster more awareness and build an organic network of AIS advocates in the area, and span beyond traditional AI powerhouses of the U.S, China and Europe to empower a more global voice on AIS policy and guideline making in the long term.

How will this funding be used?

The money covers venue hire and amenities for the day, as well as any attendees that have financial difficulties in travelling, coming in the form of economy class tickets or interstate train. This amount also buffers for any public transport fares, as well as basic meals afterwards. We will livestream the conference if the fee cannot cover all travel expenses.

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

Myself, along with up to 20+ volunteers will coordinate the effort, forecasitng to draw availability from AI safety societies/university clubs we already have a presence in. (This is not restrictive and we hopefully want to welcome more individuals in organising together!)

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

Some of the most promising talent in the field of AI safety are often in their early 20s, even teenage years, yet such talent often is neglected or becomes snatched up by nations at the forefront of AI technologies such as the U.S or China. In the long term, this creates a brain drain in small to medium nations within a sector that arguably needs a comprehensive global voice to ensure full societal equity of it's benefits or discussion against risks endured by the whole world. By encouraging aspiring young students to develop a sense of responsibility and encourage actively contribution towards technical and policy specific AIS initatives, we hope to democratise AI discussion and policy making to account for small-medium nations such as those in Oceania, and empower their own domestic AI safety and policy guidelines without succumbing to global political pressures.