June 25, 2024
Thomas Adewumi University Auditorium
To equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead the future of Responsible AI Innovation, Thomas Adewumi University gathered its students for a Career Launchpad program titled "Responsible AI for Generative Models: Designing for Responsibility." The event, organized to enhance the students' understanding and capabilities in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), featured the host of the event, Mr. Paul Stephen, distinguished speaker, Mr. Laju Etchie from the Google Research team, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Francisca Oladipo, Registrar, Mr. Kolawole Fisoye, and other Principal Officers of the University.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from the moderator, Mr. Olajide Omojarabi, who introduced the esteemed staff members present, highlighting the presence of the Vice-Chancellor and the principal officers. Following this, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Francisca Oladipo delivered inspiring opening remarks. She proudly announced that TAU is one of the winners of the 2023/2024 Google XploreCSR award, underscoring the University's commitment to excellence in AI research and education.
Prof. Francisca emphasized the importance of the event, stating that it was designed to build capacity and equip TAU students with the necessary skills to thrive in an AI-driven future. She urged them to engage actively, ask questions, and seize the opportunities presented during the lectures. Her message was clear: the technology of AI is rapidly evolving, and students need to be well-prepared to navigate and contribute to this dynamic field.
The highlight of the event was the guest speaker presentation, Mr. Laju Etchie, who works with the Google Research team as a Responsible AI Community Manager. Taking center stage, Laju expressed his gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and the University for the opportunity to speak. He outlined his goal to spark curiosity and enthusiasm among the students for responsible AI.
His presentation delved into the intricacies of designing responsible AI, with a particular focus on generative models. He explored critical aspects such as fairness, privacy, and safety in AI systems, emphasizing the ethical considerations that must guide AI development. Laju provided a historical context, discussed Google's concept of Bold, Responsible, and Together, and highlighted key milestones in AI advancements from 2014 to 2023.
One of the most captivating parts of his talk was the discussion on Project Euphonia, an initiative aimed at helping people with non-standard speech technology. He also elaborated on Google's AI principles, which include being socially beneficial, built and tested for safety, and accountable to people. He emphasized the importance of adversarial testing to ensure AI models can handle malicious or harmful input safely.
Toward the end of his presentation, Laju introduced a comprehensive 6-month learning and training program tailored for TAU students. This program, designed to equip students with skills in Responsible AI, Generative AI, Large Language Models, and career development, promises to be a significant stepping stone for those aspiring to innovate responsibly in the AI field.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where students posed insightful questions, followed by a heartfelt vote of thanks delivered by the Registrar, Mr. Kolawole Fisoye. The "Responsible AI for Generative Models" talk at Thomas Adewumi University not only enriched the students' knowledge but also inspired them to become responsible innovators in the ever-evolving world of AI.
