"...there is nothing new and magical about this technology, except for one small thing..."

In this special edition of Retail Mavericks, we speak with world-renowned artificial intelligence (AI) expert Toby Walsh about all that is AI. We cover a lot of interesting areas from killer robots to ethics to the 4 Ds of AI/robotization and the year 2062. This podcast edition has two parts, both now available for your enjoyment. We recommend listening to Part One first before diving deeper.

In episode 2 of 2 we cover:

• How AI is currently being used in everyday tasks: from voice assistance and recommendations for movies and books to routing and logistics.
• How can businesses, especially retailers and CPGs, find the balance between using AI to maximise sales and give consumers what they desire vs ethical considerations? For example, if an AI model learns you like sugary drinks from your purchase history, what are the ethical (and health) implications for implementing such recommendations? Should we intervene? How transparent should AI recommendations be? How can we build more desirable feedback loops for both retailers and consumers?
• Learn about The 4 Ds of AI/robotization – Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, and Difficult – and what they mean.
• With the onset of The 4 Ds, we explore what skills employers (and even parents) need to start helping and encouraging their people (kids) to develop in the future? You can learn more about the 10 skills you need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Toby shares a simple triangle framework starting with:

1. Data skills and data literacy (i.e. Presentation Skills, Data Visualization, Python–Statistical Programming);
2. Emotional intelligence (the key ingredient for working with people); and
3. Creativity.

• We also look at what the education system needs to do to help shape this new thinking and facilitate new skills creation for our younger citizens. Discover what Finland is already doing to educate its citizens, with 10% of their population already educated in AI. Finland’s goal is to educate at least 1% of European citizens by 2021. Join over 410,000 other people learning about the basics of AI.
• Toby highlights that the more we understand AI, the less we will see it as “black magic”, and the better decisions we will make.
• Finally, we share a few insights on how a business should start with thinking about leveraging AI, including whether to buy or build and the importance of investing in your people.

This episode is a part of academia-focused series featuring your usual host Milena Salmon and guest co-host Dr Alvaro Flores, Mathematician and Data Scientist at HIVERY. You can listen to Alvaro’s podcast on his PhD and HIVERY transforming promotional calendars here.

Resources:
Toby Walsh: The AI future is here and what this means for education
Elements of AI
How can you stop killer robots | Toby Walsh | TEDxBerlin
Toby Walsh: Computers making life or death decisions
AI and Ethics | Toby Walsh | TEDxBlighStreet

Toby’s Books:
2062: The World that AI Made
Android Dreams: The Past, Present and Future of Artificial Intelligence