Professor Mike Wooldridge joined the Royal Institution (RI) Christmas Lectures, tackling one of the most important and rapidly-evolving fields of science – artificial intelligence.
The first of three Open University/BBC co-produced programmes, The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures – The Truth About AI, aired on Tuesday 26 December on BBC Four at 8pm and is available on iPlayer.
Founded in 1825 by Michael Faraday, The Christmas Lectures, the world’s longest-running science television series, promised to inspire and amaze through explosive demonstrations and interactive experiments with the live theatre audience.
In this series, Professor Mike Wooldridge asked: What is the Truth about Artificial Intelligence? He compared AI’s workings and learning with the human brain’s functions. The audience, composed entirely of school children, actively engaged in the demonstrations.
AI had exploded into public consciousness in 2022 with the release of ChatGPT, boasting around 100 million monthly users.
Professor Wooldridge explored the roots of AI, revealing how scientist Alan Turing devised the ‘Imitation Game’ – a test to see if a machine could pass as a human. The audience in the Lecture theatre played a real-life version of the game to test if AI could pass this challenge.
In the second episode, the huge role of AI in daily life was considered, sometimes without realisation.
The series concluded with Professor Wooldridge joined by experts to grapple with AI’s future. They pondered the promises and dangers that lie ahead as AI continues to evolve.
OU academic Dr Mike Richards supported the lectures with his expertise.
Dr Richards said: “It’s more than 70 years since Alan Turing asked the question ‘whether it is possible for machinery to show intelligent behaviour?’ but it is only in the last few years that public interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded. From computer programmes that can produce endless amounts of fluent text, music, and artwork; to autonomous vehicles and robots; and from scientific research to video games – machines are behaving in much more intelligent ways.
“The rise of artificial intelligence is underpinned by huge advances in a range of technologies: the ability of machines to learn in manners inspired by human learning; the enormous volumes of data available to us; and the development of incredibly fast and powerful microprocessors.
“In these three lectures, Professor Wooldridge explained the technologies behind AI and not just how they could be used – but are being used right now by each of us in our daily lives, perhaps without even realising it. But AI is more than just technology, Professor Wooldridge also asked crucial questions about how we as individuals and as a society use and control to create a better world for everyone.”
Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast and Partnerships at the OU, said: “This was the first time we co-produced the Royal Institution lectures and we were delighted to be part of such a significant and enduring lecture series. As AI is likely to have an impact on our lives, these lectures provided an accessible insight into how it works and gave us an opportunity to better understand its future applications.”
