Drivers behind the public perception of artificial intelligence: insights from major Australian cities

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only disrupting industries and businesses, particularly the ones have fallen behind the adoption, but also significantly impacting public life as well. This calls for government authorities pay attention to public opinions and sentiments towards AI. Nonetheless, there is limited knowledge on what the drivers behind the public perception of AI are. Bridging this gap is the rationale of this paper. As the methodological approach, the study conducts an online public perception survey with the residents of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and explores the collected survey data through statistical analysis. The analysis reveals that: (a) the public is concerned of AI invading their privacy, but not much concerned of AI becoming more intelligent than humans; (b) the public trusts AI in their lifestyle, but the trust is lower for companies and government deploying AI; (c) the public appreciates the benefits of AI in urban services and disaster management; (d) depending on the local context, public perceptions vary; and (e) the drivers behind the public perception include gender, age, AI knowledge, and AI experience. The findings inform authorities in developing policies to minimise public concerns and maximise AI awareness. </p

Digital Transformation

The amount of literature on Digital Transformation is staggering—and it keeps growing. Why, then, come out with yet another such document? Moreover, any text aiming at explaining the Digital Transformation by presenting a snapshot is going to become obsolete in a blink of an eye, most likely to be already obsolete at the time it is first published. The FDC Initiative on Digital Reality felt there is a need to look at the Digital Transformation from the point of view of a profound change that is pervading the entire society—a change made possible by technology and that keeps changing due to technology evolution opening new possibilities but is also a change happening because it has strong economic reasons. The direction of this change is not easy to predict because it is steered by a cultural evolution of society, an evolution that is happening in niches and that may expand rapidly to larger constituencies and as rapidly may fade away. This creation, selection by experimentation, adoption, and sudden disappearance, is what makes the whole scenario so unpredictable and continuously changing.The amount of literature on Digital Transformation is staggering—and it keeps growing. Why, then, come out with yet another such document? Moreover, any text aiming at explaining the Digital Transformation by presenting a snapshot is going to become obsolete in a blink of an eye, most likely to be already obsolete at the time it is first published. The FDC Initiative on Digital Reality felt there is a need to look at the Digital Transformation from the point of view of a profound change that is pervading the entire society—a change made possible by technology and that keeps changing due to technology evolution opening new possibilities but is also a change happening because it has strong economic reasons. The direction of this change is not easy to predict because it is steered by a cultural evolution of society, an evolution that is happening in niches and that may expand rapidly to larger constituencies and as rapidly may fade away. This creation, selection by experimentation, adoption, and sudden disappearance, is what makes the whole scenario so unpredictable and continuously changing

Florida Undergraduate Research Conference

FURC serves as a multi-disciplinary conference through which undergraduate students from the state of Florida can present their research. February 16-17, 2024https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/university_events/1006/thumbnail.jp

Futures of Responsible and Inclusive AI: How Might We Foster an Inclusive, Responsible and Foresight-Informed AI Governance Approach?

This paper seeks to investigate how we might foster an inclusive, foresight-informed responsible AI governance framework. This paper discusses the gaps and opportunities in current AI initiatives across various stakeholders and acknowledges the importance of anticipation and agility. This paper also posits that it is important for legal, policy, industry and academia to understand the specificities of each other’s domains better to build an inclusive governance framework

Metaverse. Old urban issues in new virtual cities

Recent years have seen the arise of some early attempts to build virtual cities, utopias or affective dystopias in an embodied Internet, which in some respects appear to be the ultimate expression of the neoliberal city paradigma (even if virtual). Although there is an extensive disciplinary literature on the relationship between planning and virtual or augmented reality linked mainly to the gaming industry, this often avoids design and value issues. The observation of some of these early experiences - Decentraland, Minecraft, Liberland Metaverse, to name a few - poses important questions and problems that are gradually becoming inescapable for designers and urban planners, and allows us to make some partial considerations on the risks and potentialities of these early virtual cities

Artificial Intelligence and Education. Guidance for Policy-makers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to address some of the biggest challenges in education today, innovate teaching and learning practices, and ultimately accelerate the progress towards SDG 4. However, these rapid technological developments inevitably bring multiple risks and challenges, which have so far outpaced policy debates and regulatory frameworks. This publication offers guidance for policy-makers on how best to leverage the opportunities and address the risks, presented by the growing connection between AI and education. It starts with the essentials of AI: definitions, techniques and technologies. It continues with a detailed analysis of the emerging trends and implications of AI for teaching and learning, including how we can ensure the ethical, inclusive and equitable use of AI in education, how education can prepare humans to live and work with AI, and how AI can be applied to enhance education. It finally introduces the challenges of harnessing AI to achieve SDG 4 and offers concrete actionable recommendations for policy-makers to plan policies and programmes for local contexts

Cleantech Investments in China – Multiple perspectives on the trends, drivers and barriers

Cleantech—technologies with a reduced environmental impact—has emerged as an important set of solutions for addressing pollution and its impacts in China. The goal of this study is to map out wherein Chinese actors with first-hand knowledge of cleantech investments think the largest domestic investment opportunities are found, understand the underlying reasons, and then evaluate how consistently the investment preferences reflect the country’s environmental problems, public discourse and policy. This is accomplished through a review of the Chinese cleantech discourse and semi-structured interviews with the mentioned actors. The study found pollution—in particular air pollution—to be the dominant area of concern among both the interviewees, throughout the public discourse and in the policy arena. This was largely reflected in the most preferred cleantech sub-sectors: energy efficiency, solar and wind energy, electric mobility, wastewater treatment, and energy storage. IoT (The Internet of Things), big data, IT and AI were found to be particularly important for delivering these solutions. However, some areas of major environmental concern, targeted by policy, indicated a disconnect, as they still evoked little interest for investments. These areas include solutions targeting water scarcity, solid waste, chemical exposure and the industrial sector broadly. Bio- and geothermal energy sources were also largely overlooked. The narrow focus on a few areas of cleantech is largely caused by the important directing role of policy in China, but also—as the mentioned disconnect indicates—by the investment culture, and the acuteness of the air pollution problem. Nonetheless, the study concludes that many opportunities remain largely overlooked, including several niche technologies, heat pumps, industrial symbiosis, and consulting-related services—besides the already mentioned areas of the disconnect, and bio- and geothermal energy sources. Further research is needed to explore not only the potential of these mentioned areas—in particular IoT, IT, big data and IoT—but of the complex matrix surrounding cleantech investments in China as a whole

Safety, Quality Control, And Sustainability In Construction: Exploring The Nexus - A Review

This comprehensive review elucidates the intertwined relationship between safety, quality control, and sustainability within the construction sector, highlighting the critical need for integrating these elements to promote optimal project outcomes and long-term industry advancement. The study commences with an in-depth exploration of existing literature, focusing on diverse methodologies, strategies, and frameworks employed to enhance safety and enforce stringent quality control, thus contributing to the overall sustainability of construction projects. Safety is identified as a paramount concern in construction, significantly influencing both quality and sustainability. The lack of safety not only jeopardizes human lives but also results in cost overruns and project delays, undermining the overall quality and sustainability. Quality control, herein, is discussed in relation to its pivotal role in minimizing errors and rework, ensuring adherence to standards, and facilitating the attainment of sustainability goals through resource efficiency and waste reduction. Sustainability in construction is dissected through its three foundational pillars: economic viability, social equity, and environmental integrity. This review details how the integration of safety and quality control significantly impacts these pillars, highlighting the synergy between construction practices, resource optimization, stakeholder well-being, and ecological preservation. Empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, and case studies form the basis of this review, providing a multifaceted understanding of the interdependence between safety, quality control, and sustainability in construction. The assessment reveals that the construction industry is progressively acknowledging the inherent connection between these components, with contemporary practices and policies increasingly reflecting an integrated approach. The article concludes by underscoring the imperative for continuous research and development, innovations, and policy interventions to strengthen the nexus between safety, quality control, and sustainability in construction. It also advocates for a holistic approach that unifies these elements to drive industry resilience, promote sustainable development, and ensure the well-being and prosperity of communities and the environment