Orkney AI tech talks

A new series of Tech Talks, focussing on Artificial Intelligence launches in Stromness this month, looks to bring Orcadians together to discuss what it is, what it changes and what it could means for us. The opening event welcomes Mei Fong, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who is now the Chief Storyteller for the Windfall Trust, a research organisation convening technologists, economists and policymakers to plan for the economic disruption AI may bring. Calling in from the US, she will address a question about the technology: why is this one different from whathas came before it? Her talk will look at how the Trust is stress-testing the potential impact on jobs, income and communities and what an honest set of choices looks like for the people who absorb the costs as well as those who capture the gains. Mei spent more than a decade at the Wall Street Journal, reporting on China’s economic transformation. She also has served as the Chief Communications Officer at Human Rights Watch and is the author of One Child: The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment. The evening begins at 6pm with informal drinks and networking, followed by Mei’s talk. Sacha Wright and Finn Macleod will then introduce the series and the thinking behind it: a forum for knowledge sharing on AI and technology across the islands. Finn Macleod said; "We want to create more bridges between Orkney and the rest of the world; as well as providing an opportunity for remote workers to get out of the (home) office, meet and share expertise. " “After a hiatus, we wanted to bring back the Tech Talks with a bang. What better way than starting with the big fears around jobs and the economy. “said Sacha Wright. “But we wanted this to go beyond just talks and open up a forum to talk across businesses and anyone who is interested about AI, sharing how they are using it and the opportunities and concerns they have.”