In Episode Five of the University of Bath’s Research with Impact podcast, Roland visits two researchers at the forefront of debates surrounding AI development and regulation.

First up, it's Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence from Bath's Department of Computer Science. With a focus on machine learning, data science, computational social science, philosophy of AI and regulation of AI, Nello's book "The Shortcut: Why Intelligent Machines Do Not Think Like Us", considers how AI is embedded across our technologies, infrastructure and all our lives and asks whether we should be concerned and what should we do.

Roland also heads to our Department of Social & Policy Sciences to talk to Professor Emma Carmel. Emma is Professor of Governance and Public Policy with a particular focus on how public policies, and public and private organisations interact to shape society. Emma's work has analysed social and labour market policies, migration, and most recently, AI technologies.

She is interested in how AI systems are used by governments, and how this is changing the relationship between state, society, citizens and technologies. She also works on the public policy challenges that the adoption of AI presents in different settings and how it can be regulated.

Among other work, Emma is co-editor of a major new international handbook on AI and Public Policy, is launching a book series on Governance, Technology and Society (Edward Elgar) in 2024.

This episode was recorded in October 2023.