Future leaders in AI and Robotics

Successful Future Leaders Academy 2021 conference brings together over 400 leading academics, higher education, public and third sector managers and industry experts.

The Cardiff Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Human-Machine Systems first annual conference, IROHMS Future Leaders Academy 2021, brought together 445 delegates from all over the world including academics and students from Cardiff University’s Schools of Engineering, Psychology, and Computer Science and Informatics, with collaborators from industry, higher education, public and third sector.

The virtual conference ran over a period of six weeks, from 18 January–26 February 2021, delivering a programme of exciting events such as discussion forums, live virtual lab tours, a PhD colloquium, and leadership training sessions.

Robots, Human-Like AI, Ethical and Explainable AI, Human-centred Technologies and Society, were just a few of the futuristic themes on offer.

Guest speakers included Costain, Dyson, Intellectual Property Office, GE Aviation and UKRI EPSRC, as well as internationally recognised experts in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics and human-machine systems.

The conference gave the School of Engineering the opportunity to highlight the transformational research, strong industrial and public sector engagement, and delivery of sustainable, impactful solutions that the School is recognised for.

Through discussion forums, hosted by the Centre’s Working Groups, and virtual lab tours, academics from the School of Engineering were able to demonstrate the expertise and facilities available to facilitate collaborative research, development and innovation projects.

Those involved include the Human-Like AI Working Group, Ethical and Explainable AI Working Group, Human-centred Technologies and Society Working Group, and the Humans and Robots Working Group.

The conference also provided opportunities for the School's PhD cohort and researchers to develop their leadership skills to support them in becoming Future Leaders.

There are plans for the IROHMS Future Leaders Academy to take place in 2022. If you’re from a related industry or academic discipline and want to get involved, we would love to hear from you. Please contact our team directly at IROHMS@cardiff.ac.uk or via our Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.