Distinguished Lectures in Humanities: AI, Ethics and the Humanities in the UK

Abstract

This talk will survey the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), ethics, and the Humanities in the UK. It integrates insights from bibliometric analyses, interviews with various stakeholders, and reviews of existing research infrastructure and policies. The talk examines the current state of AI ethics research in the UK, identifying the contributions of the Arts and Humanities, the obstacles researchers face, and the potential impacts of their work. It also considers the international research environment and strategic investments made by other countries in AI and ethics, drawing comparisons with the UK's approach. Opportunities and threats are identified within the context of academia, public perception, and commerce, including the impacts of AI on diverse populations and industries. The talk will conclude by considering how the situation in the UK may compare with that in Hong Kong.

About the speaker

Tony MCENERY is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and English Language in the Department of English Language and Linguistics at Lancaster University and Advisory Professor at Shanghai International Studies University. He has published widely on corpus linguistics and is the author of Corpus Linguistics: Method, Theory and Practice (with Andrew HARDIE, Cambridge University Press, 2011). His latest book, Fundamental Principles of Corpus Linguistics (with Vaclav BREZINA) was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the Global China Academy and the Royal Society of Arts in the UK.