Our department proudly kicked off the highly anticipated 50th Anniversary Distinguished Talk Series on the evening of 5 April 2024. The inaugural talk was delivered by Prof. Joseph SIFAKIS, a distinguished researcher and recipient of the Turing Award in 2007.
We are honoured to have Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, present at the talk. The event successfully commenced with a diverse audience of approximately 300 participants, including PolyU staff, students, alumni and technology enthusiasts from various institutions.
Currently serving as the Emeritus Research Director at Verimag Laboratory, Prof. SIFAKIS has an impressive background in the design of reliable systems across domains such as avionics, space systems, telecommunications, and production systems. In 2007, he received the Turing Award, which is recognised as the highest distinction in computer science, for his contribution to the theory and application of model checking, the most widely used system verification technique.
In this talk titled "Artificial Intelligence: Where We Are, Where We Are Going," Prof. SIFAKIS discussed the current state and future prospects of artificial intelligence (AI). He first addressed the confusion surrounding the ultimate goal of AI, with some advocating for Artificial General Intelligence achieved through machine learning. However, he argued that the current state of AI is still limited, primarily providing building blocks for intelligent systems, such as question-answering assistants. He then discussed the pathway to achieving human-level intelligence, establishing trustworthiness in AI systems and seeking complementarity between human and machine intelligence. After the presentation, the audience responded overwhelmingly positive, with attendees eagerly asking questions and sharing thoughts. It is believed that the discussion provided valuable insights for anyone interested in artificial intelligence.
The 50th Anniversary Distinguished Talk Series, organised as part of the department's golden jubilee celebrations, aims to provide valuable insights and foster discussions on various topics pertaining to computing and technology. Renowned speakers from the field have been invited to share their expertise and experiences, offering attendees a unique opportunity to engage with some of the brightest minds in the industry.
