AI Ethicist Job Kit

CAREERS

withSTEM JOB KIT ™

AI ETHICIST Discover this growing field helping ensure Artificial Intelligence is safe and beneficial to humanity

YOU CAN PREPARE THE WORLD FOR AN AI-ENABLED FUTURE with us As AI replaces laborious tasks across society, an urgent need has arisen for technology and fresh thinking to combat technology’s downsides. Macquarie University is leading the way, with our cybersecurity experts inventing Apate, a multilingual chatbot designed to prolong fake calls with scammers, to reduce the scale of financial losses inflicted daily by global criminals.

Our researchers are also asking the big questions: how to prepare workplaces by helping people to understand AI’s strengths and weaknesses; and how humans can make effective decisions without mastery in tasks that underpin such decision-making – tasks that are now increasingly completed by machines.

When you enrol in one of our IT degrees, you’ll be learning from world-leading AI researchers. You’ll be studying a future-focused curriculum developed in consultation with industry, which allows you to specialise in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, game design and development, information systems and business analysis, networking, software technology solutions, or web and mobile app development.

CRICOS Provider 00002J | FSE563911

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Macquarie are ranked in the world’s top 50 (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024).

Your learning will be enhanced by our new 14-lab computing precinct with VR space and cybersecurity, networking and gaming labs.

You will also study in Australia’s largest high-tech precinct, offering the potential for collaborative, internship and employment opportunities.

ARE YOU READY FOR AN AI-ENABLED FUTURE? LEARN MORE

FOREWORD

i’ve always been curious about the et of new technology” hics

Cameron Edmond lopment Lecturer in Game DeveUniversity (Computing), Macquarie

Get in the game The advent of AI involves a thoughtful balance of ethics and creativity

SHUTTERSTOCK

A

former journalist, s a game developer and about the ethics I’ve always been curious with the advent of new technology. And AI models we and widespread use of new informed about how need more people who are such tools are used. ut how AI tools work, Along with learning abo guided toward students at Macquarie are ng them. This is what usi informed decisions about and allow us to work is going to drive change l AI. towards a future of ethica alongside academia has ign des e Working in gam oretical principles with allowed me to merge the ile AI and data analysis hands-on experience. Wh based, there is a lot of aren’t necessarily gamess of game design. overlap with the principle Game Design and of Macquarie’s Bachelor dents the space to stu r Development gives ou

Bachelor of arts macquarie University

journalist key media

phd, computational literature Macquarie university

explore their ideas while equipping them with the technical skills to make it possible. Like many other fields, AI is rapidly becoming an important, revolutionary tool that wi ll reshape the game design industry.

As a lecturer, I am not jus t a facilitator of technical skills and creati ve thinking, but also a guide in navigating the ethical implications of these advancements.

In this rapidly changing landscape, I am committed to helping the next generation of game developers, ensuring the y are well-equipped to shape the future of intera ctive storytelling responsibly and creativel y.

Cameron Edmond Lecturer in Game Devel opment (Computing), Macquarie University master of research Macquarie University research fellow unsw

narrative designer ares games

lecturer in game development Macquarie University

Check out CareerswithSTEM.com for more insights, information, inspiration and advice about AI careers!

3

AI ETHICIST

DEEP DIVE

S C I H T E R O F E AN EY Is exactly what’s needed in artificial intelligence!

Get the basics Who: An AI ethicist cialises in the ethics What: Someone who spe and implementation, around AI development s ethical or moral plus studies and identifie present their ey issues that may arise. Th d businesses to an nts findings to governme decisions. Mixing help them make informed ics with tech skills their understanding of eth luable as AI makes them extremely va onomy and new systems advance, gain aut concerns come into play. ts now! But don’t When: We need AI ethicis demand career worry, it’s set to be an inJobs of the Future going forward too. The 100 in the top t’ report places ‘robot ethicis . That role ure fut technology jobs of the ues associated iss l ica involves looking at eth ce, robots, cyborg with artificial intelligen nted/virtual reality. technologies, and augme

Where: AI ethicists work for governments, tech companies, research institutions and businesses.

Why: We need to make sure new tech is safe and beneficial to humanit y, with ethics built in from the beginning. It’s also crucial that AI systems follow the law , otherwise there can be legal consequences for those making and using the tech. AI eth icists can come up with development guide lines and standards too, so issues can be cau ght early in the development process – sav ing an organisation time, money and harm to their reputation and protectin g those that their work impacts.

How: To become an AI eth icist, you’ll need to study artificial intelligen ce at uni.

Macquarie University ha s an excellent Artificial Intelligence ma jor, which you can take as part of the Bache lor of Information Technology. To further exp lore ethical and legal questions surround ing the use of AI, consider a double major of AI + Philosophy or AI + Applied Ethics.

Macquarie University ran ks 35 in the world* for studying philosophy so it’s the place to be for the philosophy an d computing skills stellar AI ethicists need!

Find out more: bit.ly/ma jAIMQU

PCIS: SHUTTERSTOCK /*QS SUBJECT RANKINGS 2024

Real life scenarios Here are two examples of where an AI ethicist could have been a good hire as they would have predicted the implications of the systems these companies used

AI by the numbers There are SO many ways for an AI ethicist to make their mark!

A$22 trillion how much the CSIRO estimates that developing and commercialising AI will add to the global economy by 2030.

A$3.6 billion Australian spending on AI systems will grow to this amount by 2025.

90%

Kmart and Bunnings

the percentage of employers who envision their companies becoming AI-driven by 2028.

rolled out facial recognition software to reduce theft, then stopped due to privacy law concerns.

84% the percentage of Australian knowledge workers already using or experimenting with generative AI (like ChatGPT) in the workplace.

Amazon used an AI recruiting tool that showed bias towards male candidates.

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

4

Sk i l l s pay thetbhiat l ls AI s pecia

$61K-$15list 3K Eth ics off icer $76K-$10 5K* *Sal ar ies sour ce d fr om Pa ysca le/ Gl assdoor

Top 3 AI areas The Australian Government is focusing on these areas of AI to transform existing industries and build new ones.

AI for better health, aged care and disability services

1 2 3

AI for better towns, cities and infrastructure AI for better natural resource management

will No doubt these industries m the p hel to ts need AI ethicis along the way!

Your dream job This is an amazing study an d career path for you if:

  

You’re motivated by fairnes s and building a better future

New technolog y fascinates and excites you

You love working in teams



Open-mindedness, integrity and honesty are some of your best traits

   5

You know how to effectively communicate ideas

No detail ever escapes you

You can think creatively and analytically

AI ETHICIST

REAL PEOPLE

Emotional intelligence

Macquarie University tificial Intelligence), tion Technology (Ar Bachelor of Informa

SUPPLIED / POPULARAITOOLS.AI

Bachelor of Information Technology student Caitlyn Muscat sees both the beauty and danger in automated tech

W

ning, hen it comes to career plan her of ad Caitlyn was always ahe tech ble loya time. Keen to get emp ght out sou she ool, skills straight from high sch ch led whi , (AI) nce llige degrees in artificial inte sity. ver Uni rie qua Mac at IT her to a Bachelor of unis only one of the At the time, Macquarie was Caitlyn found ch whi n, something offering units in automatio n Day. Ope ual ann ir at the out after chatting with staff ped what sha y uall act ors fess “Talking to lecturers and pro one of my she says. “I can remember I wanted to really do in AI,” and ideas such as ‘thinking’ first lecturers talking about to go.” w that it was where I wanted kne and ‘intelligent’ machines

caitlyn muscat AI student

fundamental that AI developers became aware of what they’re creating, especially from an ethical standpoint.”

Currently halfway through her degree, Caitlyn hopes to dive deeper into this controversial topic during postgraduate study.

And her dream thesis topic? Exploring the correct use of data in AI systems and whether machines really ‘think’.

“AI has the ability to stretch far beyond human control,” she says. “If I were to get into development it would be the creation of an ethical system.”

Career goals sorted. Now to get through the next assignment!

Feeling it

LE and re to original generators DAL While in her first year, exposu became to see AI as an artform. She Midjourney inspired Caitlyn d ate g how AI artworks were cre obsessed with understandin the was human creations. Yet, it - and how they compared to t. ticularly piqued her interes par t ethics behind the tech tha it nd fou “I . said AI ethics,” she “I discovered my pas sion for

CAREERSwithSTEM.com

it’s fundamen l that ai developers become ta aw ar e of what they are creati ng” 6

Mission Possible Ethics of AI Advisor, VERSES

ines hipolito ethical AI champion

I

- long before we all got nes and AI go way back t developing the tech ChatGPT. However it’s no e University academic, that excites the Macquari how we use and interact it’s the philosophy behind pat hway. with it that’s driven her acies of human “I specia lise in the intric ell int igence,” she says. cognition and artificial ut cognition, perception “I explore questions abo and intelligence.” in Germany, Ines Kickstarting her career Philosophy, two master’s completed a Bachelor of scoring a job at the degrees and a PhD before t d Brain. It was then tha Berlin School of Mind an d An D. Ph her do to ey dn she made the move to Sy cquarie University Ma at er tur lec a e’s Sh now? other roles, which her th — while keeping up wi founder! include being a startup

Founder & CEO, Mission AI (Macquarie University Incubator)

Day in the life…

6am

Dial into an early morning video call with my US colleagues - aligning on projects and exchanging idea s.

i’m receiving mentorship to bring ai ethics to the market”

9am

Arrive at Macquarie Univers ity ready to tackle the day. I alw ays start with catching up on ema ils and then dive into any ongoing projects.

Best of both worlds With a background in philosophy and neuroscience plus a passion for tech, Ines’ diverse skillset has allowed her to be a bridge-builder between disciplines.

Along with her lecturing work, she currently works as an AI ethicist at US-based cognitive computing company VERSES, where she champions ethical considerations, inclusivity and environmental responsibility into AI design.

And then there’s the startup which she founded through the Macquarie University Incubator program, which encourages entrepreneurs to grow and realise their innovations.

“It’s called Mission AI!” she says. “I’m receiving mentorship to bring AI ethics to the market - advising organisations in cultivating an ethical culture.”

1pm

Attend a seminar to spark knowledge and get inspiration.

3pm

Meet with colleagues to disc uss scientific paper collaborations and organise upcoming conference s.

4pm

Dedicate one-on-one time to supervising my students, where I offer guidance, feedback and support.

7

SHUTTERSTOCK

Lecturer Philosophy, Macquarie University Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Lecturer

Bachelor of Philosophy, Nova University of Lisbon

Masters of Philosophy, Lusophone University of Lisbon

Masters of Cognitive Science University of Lisbon

PhD in Philosophy, University of Wollongong

Ines Hipolito is helping Macquarie University lecturer l AI practices organisations implement ethica

AI ETHICIST

Get the job! of AI? Want to help shape the future Here’s how you can start…

Play

Watch

ure of AI! Experience the possible fut Open Sorcery

AI in focus on Netflix. Don’t forget your popcorn!

OUR CODED BIAS

l - a fire element You are an Elemental Firewal ing a network of tect pro e cod bound with C++ ter grows and people and places. The charac ilar to how AI learns, ‘gaining sentience’ sim learns. Play it on: Android

Explore the bias in different AI algorithms, based on the flaw s of facial recognition.

THE FUTURE OF

Portal

How can AI be applied to the way we live? Have a look at the ‘Do gs’, ‘Dating’, and ‘Sports’ episode s!

are challenged AI takes over! As a player, you ic Lifeform and net (Ge by an AI named GLaDOS by ape esc to ) tem Disk Operating Sys . zles completing puz , PlayStation 3 Play it on: Nintendo Switch

UNKNOWN: KILLER ROBO TS

AI Dungeon

generative AI A choose your own adventure write the next game, where your choices help one iPh steps. Play it on: Android,

Checklist for electi ves Choose these subjects follow the path of an AI ethi cist: ✔ Digital Technologies ✔ Philosophy and Ethi cs ✔ Social Sciences

Listen Podcasts for when you’re generating phrases with ChatGPT… In Machines We Trust MIT Technology Review writer Jennifer Strong looks at the impact of AI on our daily lives. From house training a robot, to the future of farming from space!

Study Studying a Bachelor of Inf ormation Technology, majoring in Art ificial Intelligence at Macquarie Uni will give you an edge in your AI career.

Or consider these course opt ions:

WORDS: CASSIE STEEL / PICS: SHUTTERSTOCK

Should we be applying artificia l intelligence to military applica tions?

This makes you think about what happens when a machine mak es life-or-death decisions.

Pomegranate Health - When AI Goes Wrong

• Bachelor of IT (AI + Philosophy) double major • Bachelor of IT (AI + Appli ed Ethics) double major • Bachelor of IT (AI) / Bachelor of Arts (Philosop hy or Applied Ethics) double degree

Speaking on the Pomegranate Health podcast, Macquarie University academics look at what the consequences are of using AI in health.

The Bot Canon What would happen if AI wrote all our classic books? Hannah Keefer reads a new classic text each episode, and then continues with what the AI has come up with from a prompt of the book.

Scan here to find out more

Careers with STEM is a publication and trademark of Refraction Media.

CareerswithSTEM.com/subscribe

Copyright © 2024 Refraction Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. If you would like to reproduce anything from this magazine, or inquire about advertising, please email: info@refractionmedia.com.au. Subscribe and order copies:

Refraction Media acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

This edition was published on 23 July 2024.