Building Aotearoa’s Artificial Intelligence Capability

John is a noted Artificial Intelligence international speaker. A leader in his field and passionate about AI, John presents key insights on AI and emerging technology’s future impact on society and the workforce at events and workshops around the world. With over 25 years of AI experience, a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and contributions as an advisor in government, academia, industry and community, John is regularly called upon to share his perspectives via talks, media interviews and roundtables. John's received various awards and his academic and business career featured in the UK's 2019 Million Plus campaign that launched at the Palace of Westminster. Following a decade as a senior university academic teaching AI and Software Engineering in the UK, John migrated to Australia. He has also worked with a range of industries developing commercial grade software and is currently co-founder of two businesses: koolth and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AiLab): a global company providing education and support for everyone to learn about the complex field of AI. John is also the AI Specialist in Residence and AI Ambassador for Auckland University of Technology and is the co-founder of the largest AI networking community in South Australia.

Louise is a special counsel in Simpson Grierson’s technology law team, and is the Deputy Chair of the AI Forum New Zealand. She has over 20 years' experience in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom, advising on a wide range of general commercial and technology-related projects and contracts for customers and suppliers in the public and private sectors. Louise also advises on technology and digital compliance issues, including those relating to the introduction of new products and services in New Zealand. Louise has a particular interest in new and emerging technologies, and has written and spoken widely in both the UK and in New Zealand on artificial intelligence, the internet of things, big data, cloud/fog computing, quantum computing, drones, and other technology trends.

Professor Dave Parry is the head of department of Computer Science at AUT and executive director of KEDRI. His research is concerned with the broad areas of Health Informatics and usability, in particular the capture and use of information and knowledge from novel sources in order to understand healthcare processes and improve decision-making.  Disaster ehealth (DeH) is an area of recent interest, especially in terms of the support that existing mobile devices could give to healthcare after a disaster and the concept of a DeH appliance. Dave has led successful applications for funding to enable international collaborations in this area, totalling more than $180,000.  During the COVID-19 pandemic Dave has been an expert voice on issues surrounding contact tracing, including data security and usability. 

Kate is the current New Zealand Government Fellow to the World Economic Forum. She is working with the Forum’s San Francisco-based Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution on a project called Reimagining Regulation for the Age of AI. Kate and the project team are working with a large community of people from around the world on developing new and agile regulatory approaches for AI. Kate is a member of the OECD ONE.AI network of experts and represents New Zealand’s government AI voice in the Digital Nations group. She has a background in international relations and public policy, with the last ten years being spent working on digital and cyber policy issues. Kate has a particular interest in ethics and rights and raising awareness within communities on the opportunities that emerging tech can bring for New Zealand.