Edinburgh Futures Institute
I’ve attended two cyber security in-person conferences this summer as part of my day job. It’s always good to get away from my desk and hear what is current in the industry. Even better when I’m an attendee and not a presenter. Don’t get me wrong. I do enjoy presenting, but it is a lot of pressure, and I find I can’t relax until I’ve spoken. Being a delegate meant I could grab snacks and drink coffee without the nerves kicking in, allowing me to focus on the agenda and have a relaxed and informative day. I also find it useful to mull over story lines while attending. I’m always looking for some angle or other that I could use in a fictional setting and continually make notes throughout the day as random thoughts occur.
I attended a third conference concentrating on Risk in the digital age. This was on-line. In between, I’ve given remote talks on AI and cyber security, Deep Fakes, and Mobile Phone Security, so all in all it has been a busy time. I then went on holiday and caught Covid by the time I arrived home so the last couple of weeks have been a bit of a struggle, not helped by the hot and humid weather, which isn’t really typical of Scotland.
The first conference was in Glasgow. I got to hear about the use of AI within health care and the plans for that, the use of AI in the energy industry and also a session on the Chrome operating system. I also met up with a few folk who I only ever seem to see at conferences. The highlight for me was winning a Lego model of a McLaren Formula 1 racing car. To enter, I had to give my details to Dell marketing, and then drop a coin into a slot, which travelled down the length of a board littered with pins. Along the bottom of the board were several bins, including one for the Lego car which is what everyone was queuing up for. I have enough pens and notebooks from previous conferences so was delighted to win the Lego, especially as I’m a big fan of Formula 1. I’ve never built a Lego kit before, so looking forward to some downtime to tackle it.
The other conference was in the Edinburgh Futures Institute. I was very excited to attend this, which was devoted to AI. The institute occupies what was the old Royal Infirmary in the area known as Quartermile. It’s a magnificent looking building, with the refurbishment taking care to retain the original façade. I’ve used a picture I took for this blog post. I love the look of these buildings. In this area, there is a mix of modern glass and steel sitting alongside them, and as much as I can see beauty in the sleek lines of modern architecture (I find modern office blocks quite photogenic) I know where my heart lies.
There were too many thought-provoking ideas around AI to note here in any detail. The debate around AI is intense and this blog isn’t the place to even scratch the surface. I have a professional interest due to my role in cyber security, and also as a writer. One point that was argued is that what we currently refer to a Generative AI and the deployment of Large Language Models, is not much more than a word processor. It can handle an astonishing number of words and second guess a response (not always accurate), but does that fit into current definitions of intelligence? In my profession it can take on the burden of what we refer to as the ‘grunt’ work or heavy lifting, due to the amount of logs and data generated by computer systems. Having an AI assistant that can parse and provide a summary for action (assuming we trust it), is hugely beneficial. In health care, using AI models to check scans for abnormalities is proving to be a lifesaver. These systems, do not get tired, are not distracted and are now more accurate than humans. Again, this is nothing to do with intelligence. It is however incredibly useful.
As a writer, copyright is of particular interest, though what can be done about it, I’m not sure. AI models have already scooped up vast amounts of copyright material and those companies are unlikely to compensate those affected. I understand to make these models as useful as they can be, they need that material. Maybe the idea that writers, artists, musicians, should be able to make a living out of what they create, is not a viable one in the modern age. Perhaps it always has been an ideal, only ever achieved by a few. From my own perspective, a day job is crucial, and any writing has to fit around that.
On a personal note, I’m well aware that AI can produce a novel, but it’s not something I have an interest in reading. For me, storytelling is as much about the connection established between the reader and the writer, as it is about the tale itself. Could I be conned into reading something, believing it was written by a human, only to be told it wasn’t? Of course I could, but what does that prove? Nothing. It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that all because some self-appointed expert announces online that a book written by an AI is as good as anything produced by a human being, doesn’t mean it’s true. If folk wish to read AI written books, that’s up to them. It’s just not for me.
The Fiction Factory 