Entering the AI Age: The Need for Computational Intelligence for All Humans.
Today we live in an era where ubiquitous computation is taken for granted; that you can calclulate almost anything you want, to get a precise answer anywhere & anytime. While the gains have been spectacular, more recently we have become increasingly concerned about the impact of computing on present & future society. AI promises to accentuate both positive and negative extremes.
How can we harness the benefits without falling into the pitfalls? What has AI truly changed? How much further can computation push us? And what kind of education do humans need to stay ahead of the curve? Conrad’s talk will dive deep into the world of computation, drawing from 35 years at the heart of this revolution. Expect live demos throughout!
Conrad Wolfram’s Bio
Since 1988, Wolfram Research has been building a unified computational ecosystem to power everything from data science to modeling to AI—through technology (including Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and Wolfram Language), consulting, and educational programs.
After the company’s launch in the US, Conrad founded Wolfram Research Europe in 1991 and has served as its CEO ever since. His work focuses on optimizing business operations and advancing technology, particularly in bridging core computational issues with their human interfaces.
He is passionate about leveraging technology and computation to improve lives by enabling better answers and decisions—both directly and through transforming education, particularly as AI reshapes the landscape.
To address the global crisis in math education, he founded computerbasedmath.org in 2010 to develop a new mainstream computational curriculum designed for the computer era. His 2020 book, The Math(s) Fix: An Education Blueprint for the AI Age, presents a comprehensive proposal for reform, advocating for universal “computational literacy.”
Conrad studied Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.
His hobbies include still photography, playing the piano, and more recently, woodturning and flying—usually in a Piper Arrow.
